The Forbidden
by skirata22
Summary: Feelings are Forbidden. Attachment is Forbidden. Love itself is Forbidden. The Jedi know this as their Code. The Code, broken by two young Jedi as they try to find their way through the Clone Wars.
1. This is My Saga

Chapter 1: My Saga

_**Encrypted Transmission 12-21-184829:**__ Jedi Accounts of the Clone Wars- 18 Years Before The Battle of Yavin I, 1 month after the Great Jedi Purge…_

_This is Jadin Ravis, Jedi Knight and one of the few surviving the Jedi Purge; I send this message out to anyone who finds it so that history not repeat itself. It wont be long before the Empire finds me, it wont be long at all._

(_garbled speech_)

_The clone wars were the darkest times in the Republic. We didn't know what was coming; we were blind. Order 66 hit us like a bomb. The Sith swept most of us away. We were left in the dark, but no more. The Jedi live in more numbers than we thought. This Empire will fall just as it should, and the Galaxy will be free once more. _

(muffled sounds)

_I was at the age of 16 when I joined the Jedi Order and in turn enlisted into the corrupted Republic Army. _Commander_ they called me. Pfft, and look where we are now. A symbol of piece, eradicated by our enemy throughout history. _(static)_. My entire story will be entered into this recording, from my life as a whole to the Clone Wars themselves. Well here it goes_:

I was originally from Tatooine but moved to Ryloth when I was very young. That's right, Ryloth, home of the Twi'leks, or 'tail heads' as some beings call them. One side of the planet faces the sun and the other remains in darkness, known as tidal locking. The dayside is referred to as the Bright Lands and the night-side is known as the Nightlands. Because of its unusual day-night rotation period, atmospheric conditions on the surface are characterized by turbulent seasons and extremely high winds (reaching 500 kilometers per hour) scouring the surface and sculpting the landscape and unpredictable bursts of heat called heat storms, which could reach 300 degrees. So, in a way, Ryloth is a living hell.

I had lived one of the cities that was occupied by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, or CIS. At least it was, until the Galactic Republic and there Clone Army came in and decimated any form of Separatist rule in the system.

Well, the real story is that I am what some beings would call Force-sensitive. Some would call this to be impossible, to know that one self is attuned to the Force. How do I know it? I have learned to connect with the life energy all around Ryloth. I had no teachers and no instructors, just me being alone with myself. Over the years, I had learned to use my powers

I could see into the future and it would come true (well, most of the time). I could move at super fast speeds to go faster than some landspeeders for a brief amount of time. I can make myself invisible to others by photo-kinetically bending light and sound waves around me, rendering myself invisible to others. Since this power could physically bent light like a cloaking device, this power could be used to hide from machines such as droids. However, it demands a great deal of concentration in order to maintain and consumed much more energy than the other Force techniques. And these are just a few I had learned.

And I know what most of you are thinking right now. How could a kid possess the powers a Jedi Master would have? To tell you the truth, I have no idea. My life before my powers is a mystery to both you and me. I would want to learn, however my mother had told me that I wouldn't like what I would find.

I had more important matters at hand though. During my time on Ryloth under CIS control. They had ransacked any city looking for certain treasures: gold, jewels, anything they could turn over for a quick profit. And if they had found me? They would most likely take me prisoner or even kill me on sight. My mother would be in jeopardy as well. I would have get out or be made a target by the Separatist army on Ryloth. So, I would make a short journey to a Republic Assault Ship on the outskirts of the city where we lived in. The only downside was that Republic patrol forces protected it day and night. I wanted to go aboard and have no issues at all. This didn't seem to be the case. I needed to leave this forsaken planet behind for good. Coruscant was the only place that I could head to. The Jedi could help me in controlling and expanding my powers as well.

With in no time, the Republic starship was within sight. The sentries were oblivious anything that even got close to them. Their helmets were only set for tunnel vision and wouldn't protect against a blaster bolt. It was very simple to sneak around to the starship entrance. The guards didn't so much as turn their heads when I came from behind them. _Some mighty 'Grand Army of the Republic'_,I thought.

I hid in a ration crate I found by the entrance since it wasn't the best idea to enter a space ship patrolled by well over a thousand clone troopers. I waited until some clone troopers took up the crate I was in and grunted under their helmets for the weight. I panicked until I realized they were taking me inside the ship itself. Free transportation I guess.

"Why is this crate so heavy?" one of the clones asked. "I thought we cleared these out?"

"We did," the other clone said. "I was thinking the same thing. What was even in this crate?"

They dropped the crate as if it were off a ten-story building. Pain raced up through my back as I screamed in my head. I grunted a little to loud and alerted the clones.

"Let's see what's in here," the first clone had said. I heard them start to creak the crate open. A million thoughts raced through my head, one was how the hell am I going to get out of this?

**AN: And that is the first chapter. This is my first Fanfic. I want to hear anything you guys have to say. Weather it's compliments, criticism (constructive), or anything in between. Thanks for taking your time and picking my story to read :).** **If you got this far, that's the main idea right? Haha. I thank anyone who has read. Thanks a lot for choosing my story once again, it really means a lot to me. ****Review this chapter and Read on to the next chapter!**


	2. A Togruta with a Blade

**AN: Thanks a lot for the thoughts on the first chapter. This chapter will be about Jadin actually getting on the ship and finding someone of an extraordinary caliber. ****Read and Review****:**

If only there had been a bigger crate. It's a good thing I cloaked myself right away. As the clones focused their eyes all over the crate and not just the spot were I was at.

"These tail-heads are so sloppy," the clone that complained about my crate being heavy said. "Yeah think they could be a little nicer since we saved them from the Separatists."

"_Shabuir_…oops" I whispered to myself.

"Did you say something?" the clone asked.

"I didn't say a thing," the other replied.

"Well I heard something," he said as he started to look around at to see if anyone was there. But no one was around. "Maybe it came from the crate…"

"Scar, lets get back to work, your starting to act like you did on that mission to Dagobah" the second clone said putting a hand on the other's shoulder. "It was nothing."

The clones walked away to where ever they were going. The ship was still on the ground since they were still loading up the weapons and ammo crates. I decided to get out of my crate when we were in space about to go into hyperspace. That way they wouldn't take me back, the Republic wouldn't take a ship back to an already controlled planet to drop off a boy. It's not how the Republic is.

About an hour later, I figured the ship in space. I got out of the crate and put the lid back on the crate so no one would be on to me. I cloaked my self and headed in the direction of the bridge.

I finally got to the bridge by waiting for a clone would open the blast-door to the bridge and let me through. I got through and gazed at the magnificence of the bridge. It had a flat surface with two pits filled with seats, and those seats were filled with clones in uniform. They were monitoring what looked like to be a computer for all of the ships information, such as engines, weapons, and shields.

Back behind the two pits was a mobile war room. It had planning boards on each side of the room, and behind them were more computers with clones at them, some in armor some in uniform. And at the center of the side room was the biggest holoprojecter I had ever seen. It could probably hold about three full-scale people and a war plan in one.

I looked around and avoided bumping into some clones before I saw two beings that looked out of the ordinary. I could tell they were male by there voices and that they were just commanding each side of the holes were the clone officers were. One was in what looked like to be an upper grade for the officer clones in the holes. His rank insignias called for an admiral, he wasn't a clone though he was trained at the academy. The man next to him had longer hair and wore what looked like to be a Jedi robe with armor on it. I walked around to get a good look at his face, and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was Jedi General Anakin Skywalker.

Twi'leks around our home spoke about the man who drove a Jedi cruiser into a Separatist control ship. That opened the hole to the invasion force that freed Ryloth. For a Jedi of this magnitude to be here right now had to be no coincidence.

"Admiral," Skywalker said." Comm me when we exit hyperspace."

"Will do sir!" the admiral replied.

Skywalker started to walk to the bridge's exit. I decided to follow him. He went to what looked like a Jedi sleeping chamber. He sat down on the bunk and closed the door. Luckily I was already in the room when that happened.

"You have to show some nerve coming on my ship," Skywalker said.

Damn, I was caught. "I have to admit," I said coming out of my Force cloak." I thought I could break on to a Republic ship and be caught with in the minute. Guess not."

"You're more stubborn than me," Skywalker replied. "You have lots of potential; to be able to use the cloaking ability is…impressive….Most impressive. What teachers have you had?"

"Me, Myself, and I," I answered. "I started out with moving small things and started to cloak sounds around me, later then I was able to bend light around me also."

"Such ability could only be done by beings that are strong in the force," Anakin complimented. "No way you could have been trained by a Sith, I sense that you do not have hatred in your heart."

"I came here for one reason, to escape the Separatists," I told him." I do not want Ryloth to fall in there hands again."

"You came here to escape Ryloth," Skywalker retorted. "I can understand that."

"Then you will sense that I will not go back to that hell hold."

Skywalker considered the thought. But something told me he was in a different situation but with similar consequences. All Jedi had a choice one way or another, I had made my decision.

"Come with me," he finally said.

We went out of the room to where he took me to the turbolift. We went down about seven stories were the clones' barracks was. We passed many clones with me at Skywalker's side. We passed most of the troopers that I sneaked by, they were probably wondering why the hell there commanding officer had a kid with him.

We went into a room that was at the very end of the barracks and away from most of the clones'. We walked inside the room. There was a young, female Togruta sitting on the bottom bunk meditating. She opened her eyes and got out of the bunk and looked at Skywalker then at me.

"Ahsoka, Jadin" Skywalker said, introducing us. "Jadin, Ahsoka."

I put my hand out to shake Ahsoka's but she didn't react shook Ahsoka's hand. I took the hind and backed up and noticed that she wore a lightsaber. That is does something to a first impression, were a girl that seemed innocent enough had a saber that could cut your head off with out hesitation.

"How did he get here?" Ahsoka asked Skywalker.

"He is a prisoner of war, trained by the Sith…"

Now, did I feel stabbed in the back? You bet your _shebs _I was. I went from being safe, to 'enemy of Jedi' in a snap.

Ahsoka reached for her lightsaber and ignited it. A green beam shot up from the tip and strait at my throat. It stopped just centimeters from killing me, I could smell the scent of ozone and I could feel the heat almost burning my skin.

"Just say the word," she said forcing the saber closer and closer, millimeter by millimeter. "And this scum is as good as gone."

I reached over to Skywalker's own lightsaber and ripped it off his belt as quick as I could. I dodged the first slice of Ahsoka's green blade and ignited Skywalker's. The blue blade shot out and I used it to block Ahsoka's vertical blow. _This hardly seems fair, _I thought._ An untrained boy from Ryloth against a Jedi Padawan_. I went on the offensive and dealt a couple vertical and diagonal blows but they were easily deflected by the acid green blade.

Ahsoka kicked me away using a strong kick to the chest using her surprisingly thick boot. I tossed Skywalker's blade away and cloaked myself. I knew I had to go fast before Ahsoka knew what happed, so I sprinted behind her and away from her deadly blade. I rapped my left arm around her neck and put my right hand on her mouth. I then uncloaked myself to show her that she had been beaten.

"Drop…the…saber," I panted.

She extinguished the blade and dropped it on the ground.

**AN: What will happen next? Will Jadin impress Anakin enough, he'll be taken to the Jedi temple, or will Ahsoka kill him first? Chapter 3 coming soon…**


	3. A Test With Death in Mind

**AN: Thanks everyone for the advice. Hopefully in this chapter all will be explained about Jadin's past. Remember, post your thoughts, aka ****Read and Review****.**

Ahsoka grunted something under my hand. It sounded like "master help" or "lesser hell". It was probably the first one. I griped the saber using the Force and ignited it using my right hand freeing my hand and arm from her neck and mouth. I put the blade to her throat and started talking to Anakin.

"Why the hell did you do that?" I demanded. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Not kill you, just…" Anakin paused for a second. "Test you."

I let Ahsoka go. "Test me!" I shouted. "I almost lost my head!"

"But you didn't," Anakin replied.

He had a point. Ahsoka stood beside me as shocked as I was.

"So, the whole Dark Side thing," Ahsoka joined in. "It was all a big fake?"

Anakin nodded. "It seems that you have a new roommate, Ahsoka."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ahsoka said walking over to Skywalker. "What are you trying to say?"

"That I might have a second Padawan."

Ahsoka and I looked at each other; I just bested what seemed to be my coed. Great.

"But having a second Padawan is against the Jedi code," Ahsoka said.

"If you prove yourselves to the Jedi Counsel, I just might be able to do that without defying the masters."

Ahsoka and I couldn't believe our ears; well Ahsoka was more flabbergasted than me, as we were going to have to be defending each other backs more than attacking them like we just did.

"Now you guys probably need to get to know each other a lot better so I will leave you for the hour until we exit from hyperspace."

Anakin exited the room back up to the bridge. That just left me and Ahsoka in the room. It was kind of an awkward silence moment. I went to go sit on the bottom bunk. I guess I could start.

"So…," I started out. "How long have you been with Skywalker?"

Ahsoka sat down on the bunk next to me. "I think it has been about seven months."

"Damn, seven months," I replied. "That's a long time."

"It hasn't even been a year. But I think Skyguy will stick."

I chuckled to my self, "Skyguy, that's good. But still seven months of war is almost a lifetime worth."

"What ever you say. I gave Anakin that name when I first met him on Christophsis, after that we worked together on the mission to rescue Rotta the Hutt. I had to face Asajj Ventress and 3 Magna-guards on my own."

"Okay that's good then, but I still beat you."

Ahsoka gave me a death stare, so I wouldn't continue to hold it against her (at least not in front of her face). "What doesn't make you think that I let you win?"

"Because you never saw the Force Cloak coming," I retorted.

"It doesn't matter anymore; we will have to trust each other no matter what. It's the simple Jedi protocol"

About two seconds of silence had passed before I spoke. "You really thought I was a _shabla_ Sith?"

"I did for a moment," she replied. "What are you speaking? Because I know it's not Basic."

I considered telling her for a moment. The point she made about trust made up my mind. "It is the language of the Mandalorian Warrior Clans."

"You mean the Mandalorians that are now mercenaries? The guns-for-hire that are aligned with the Separatists?"

"That's a very blunt way of putting it but yes. The Mandalorians these days are the pacifists, they are called the _New _Mandalorians. They through away most of the warrior codes that they historically followed. The clans scattered throughout the planet and wait for the time to regain control of the planet."

"How do you know this?" Ahsoka asked me.

I sighed. "My father was a Mandalorian Warrior. He was to marry a woman of Mandalorian heritage, however he chose my mom. They met on Tatooine and lived there when they had me. My dad still true to the Mandalorian ways was to train me as a warrior when I was eight. However, complications arose and started to train me when I was five to protect my self in need be. My father went to Jabba the Hutt's Palace, but never came back. My mom said he was on a very long assignment. But I was smarter then she thought I was. I knew Jabba had killed him, I could see when I was asleep. I started to have visions of the past, how my father stood in front of the Hutt and apologized for not keeping the target he was assigned to alive.

"I saw Jabba press a button on his hover chair and a trap door dropped my father into the pit. The last thing I heard was a loud roar and I woke up in a cold sweat. After my father died, my mom and I moved to Ryloth."

"I'm sorry, Jadin," Ahsoka said. "Seeing visions that young had to be traumatizing for you."

"There were, that's when I decided to train my self to see the visions more clearly some of them were of my father being trained by his father, my grandfather. I learned the Mandalorian fighting styles from the visions. When I was looking in the visions, I could open my eyes and I could see that I was lifting up a pebble or two. I soon was able to focus on the bigger rocks and throw them."

"That's amazing," Ahsoka said fascinated. "I was only able to be a normal toddler until Master Plo Koon found my on Shili, my home world, and took me and gave me a home in the Jedi Temple. I consider him my dearest friend."

"Friends are the best thing in the galaxy to have," I said. "It turns out I might have a new friend sitting right next to me."

Ahsoka nodded. She was about to say something else when her wrist comlink blinked. I nodded for her to answer it. "Ahsoka here," she said into the comm.

"Ahsoka, bring Jadin up here, you had better see this," Skywalker's voice came through electronically.

"We'll be there, Master," Ahsoka said. "Let's go, if there's one thing I learned of being with Anakin all this time is that he is impatient when it comes to giving orders."

"Right, let's go," I replied.

We walked back the way me and Skywalker came when we went down here. The clones we passed looked at me differently than they did when I was with Skyguy. Heh, I like saying that. One clone came up to us. He had to be a decorated trooper by the looks of his armor. He had a black with blue striped Kama, or bullet proof skirt. The pauldron he wore signified him as a 'dead-eye' or sniper so to speak. There was a stripe that went down each of his arms that was also blue. His helmet was designed with some _Jaig_ eyes, or shriek hawk in Mandalorian. It's a sigil bestowed by clan leaders as a mark of honor. The problem I had no idea what his name was.

"Ahsoka," the trooper said. "General Skywalker wants you up on the bridge."

"I know, Rex," Ahsoka said. "The general commed me just a moment ago….Oh, before I forget, Capitan Rex, this is Jadin. Jadin, Rex" 

"Pleasure to meet you, sir" I said grabbing his hand and shaking it.

"Likewise, kid," Rex replied shaking my hand in return. "So, it looks I'll be seeing more of you two then."

"Yes," I replied. "I don't think a person of your caliber would be able to take orders from me."

"Heh," Rex chucked. "If those are your orders, sir."

"Haha. Good one, Rex" Ahsoka laughed. "Well, you know what it's like when the general is waiting to long."

"I will never feel the same after that time on Tibrin," Rex said. "You better get going."

"See you around," Ahsoka said as we walked into the turbolift. She pressed the button that would lead us to the top level.

"That Rex seems like a nice guy," I said.

"He is, saved my life a few times."

"Would seem like he would be the one to do it."

We got up to the second level below the bridge when it suddenly stopped. We both fell to the floor, Ahsoka on top of me.

"Uhh," I started to say.

"Did you press the stop button?" she asked almost in an annoyed tone.

"No," I said. (Honestly I didn't) "Did you?"

She gave me the annoyed look and got off of me. "No. Well at least there's one way out of here."

"Ahh, no offence," I said. "But we don't want to get out, we want to get moving."

Ahsoka was already slicing into the top of the elevator with her lightsaber. I was fiddling around with the circuits in the turbolift controls to contact the bridge on the frequency I asked Ahsoka to give me. I spoke into the speaker.

"Testing," I said. "Bridge this is turbolift 3174. Come in, is anyone-"

I was cut short by the falling of a big hunk of durasteel. I had to move out of the way before it crunched me. Ahsoka jumped where she had made the hole and out of the lift.

"Are you always on the move!" I asked her.

"You're starting to sound like Master Obi-Wan!" she yelled back. "Are you coming or not?"

I had no choice, I had to dig deep and use the force to jump since the hole was 7 feet high. I taped into my energy reservoir and jumped. Strangely enough, I made it out of the lift. "Okay, we're out here, now what?" I had to yell over the clanking of all the other lifts cables.

Ahsoka looked around for a moment then pointed above us where the door to the bridge was. It opened up strangely enough. "Come on, we got to jump up there" Ahsoka said.

"Okay jumping up and out of the elevator is one thing, jumping 15 feet in the air is a different story," I replied. "How 'bout we use the supports to jump up there?"

Ahsoka shrugged and started to jump up the lift guiderails. I started to follow. It's not that it was hard, only that Ahsoka was so much faster. It was official that I had a lot to learn. Ahsoka got to the edge when the lift below us suddenly dropped faster than a stone.

"Oh shit," Ahsoka cursed.

"No margin for error this time, am I right?" I asked.

Ahsoka shook her head. I was now right next to her on the rail under the door. Two clones then emerged from the entranced and the creak of clone armor struck our ears as there was two blasters pointed strait at us.

"Don't move, Jedi," a clone said.

"Okay, what the hell just happened?" Ahsoka asked just as a blue blaster bolt came right between her hands on the rail.

"Shut up," another one said. "Climb up, now."

Ahsoka and I just did as we were told and climbed up to the door were the clones helped us up, but as they did that, they strapped a couple of SC-401 stun cuffs onto our wrists. They slowly walked us to the second turbolift to the brig. If either one of us tried to move the cuffs my physical force, they cuffs would deliver a shock to us that might knock us out.

Once we got to the lift, I spoke to Ahsoka through the Force. _We have got to get out of here_, I told her.

_I know that but how_?, she asked me. I had to think about that for a second, there seemed to be no way out, but the visions of my father taught me something: for every doubt there is a chance, the only time is when to take it.

_Let your mind form with mine_, I told her.

_What?_ she asked.

_Let us work as one_, I said. I reached out to Ahsoka and she reached out to me the same way. When we touched, we became one person, an all powerful entity that could move a Jedi Cruiser with ease. A bond had created a _meld_ so to say. We both kicked our clones in the head and unleashed our binders by crushing them with the Force. Our thoughts became one, our actions became one. We were one. We could do anything we wanted. And what we wanted to do was get to the bridge. We ran at the same pace and sensed everything that went on in the ship. In about a minute we were surrounded by clones. There blasters were pointing at us when we summoned all the energy around us, consumed it into a sphere the size of my palm, and unleashed it outwards. It harmed everyone around us but us.

We continued to walk to the bridge and the door was closed of course.

"Figures," we both said.

We both gave our selves even more to the Force, becoming more powerful. We had every ounce of the living energy field coursing through us. We held up all of our hands to our sides and punched a hole through the blast door. We walked through only to see Skywalker unharmed, not even dead clones around him. Only the ones that were operating the ship on the last visit I was up here.

"Hello, Ahsoka and Jadin," he said as if nothing outside the bridge had happened. "Took you long enough to get here."

I dropped the meld that bonded us. "We just got attacked by ten clones," I said. "What the hell is going on?"

Skywalker got a smirk as if he was about to burst out laughing. "Oh no," I said.

"This was just another one of your tests!" Ahsoka said stealing the words out of my mouth.

Skywalker nodded, "Just to prove to someone that you could be trained under the same roof as Ahsoka."

A little figure walked out from behind Skywalker, he was old, I could tell. He was green skinned and short. He looked like he wore the robes of the Jedi, but it was impossible, a being like this couldn't be a Jedi.

"Hmm, judge me by my size, do you?" the green being asked.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" I asked him.

Ahsoka nudged me. "What?" I asked her.

"This is Jedi Grand Master Yoda, head of the Jedi Counsel," she said.

"Reckless, you two are," Yoda spoke. "However, together, better you both work."

"At least we lived," I pointed out.

Yoda then faced Skywalker. "Interesting students, you have."

"I guess they just come to me, Master Yoda," he replied winking at me.

"Hmm, on Coruscant, will we land in a moment," Yoda said. "To the Jedi temple, we must go. For you have training to start, Padawan Jadin."

I bowed to Yoda. "Thank you, Master," I said. "I will not disappoint you or Master Skywalker."

"Ahsoka, Jadin," Anakin said. "Go get your things; we are going to stay on Coruscant for a while for me to properly train Jadin to catch up with you, Ahsoka."

"Yes, Master" we both said at the same time. We could then that the meld could never be let down fully now. I could also sense something else, something that seemed…forbidden….

**AN: Well now! I think that that was a good chapter. I had lots of fun writing this chapter, with the uncovering on Jadin's past, the 'team-building' exercise so to say. Not to mention writing backwards with Yoda. ****Please Review****! Thanks.**


	4. The Saber and Father

**AN: Thanks everyone for the advice. Hopefully in this chapter all will be explained about Jadin's past. Remember, post your thoughts, aka ****Read and Review****.**

Ahsoka grunted something under my hand. It sounded like "master help" or "lesser hell". It was probably the first one. I griped the saber using the Force and ignited it using my right hand freeing my hand and arm from her neck and mouth. I put the blade to her throat and started talking to Anakin.

"Why the hell did you do that?" I demanded. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Not kill you, just…" Anakin paused for a second. "Test you."

I let Ahsoka go. "Test me!" I shouted. "I almost lost my head!"

"But you didn't," Anakin replied.

He had a point. Ahsoka stood beside me as shocked as I was.

"So, the whole Dark Side thing," Ahsoka joined in. "It was all a big fake?"

Anakin nodded. "It seems that you have a new roommate, Ahsoka."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ahsoka said walking over to Skywalker. "What are you trying to say?"

"That I might have a second Padawan."

Ahsoka and I looked at each other; I just bested what seemed to be my coed. Great.

"But having a second Padawan is against the Jedi code," Ahsoka said.

"If you prove yourselves to the Jedi Counsel, I just might be able to do that without defying the masters."

Ahsoka and I couldn't believe our ears; well Ahsoka was more flabbergasted than me, as we were going to have to be defending each other backs more than attacking them like we just did.

"Now you guys probably need to get to know each other a lot better so I will leave you for the hour until we exit from hyperspace."

Anakin exited the room back up to the bridge. That just left me and Ahsoka in the room. It was kind of an awkward silence moment. I went to go sit on the bottom bunk. I guess I could start.

"So…," I started out. "How long have you been with Skywalker?"

Ahsoka sat down on the bunk next to me. "I think it has been about seven months."

"Damn, seven months," I replied. "That's a long time."

"It hasn't even been a year. But I think Skyguy will stick."

I chuckled to my self, "Skyguy, that's good. But still seven months of war is almost a lifetime worth."

"What ever you say. I gave Anakin that name when I first met him on Christophsis, after that we worked together on the mission to rescue Rotta the Hutt. I had to face Asajj Ventress and 3 Magna-guards on my own."

"Okay that's good then, but I still beat you."

Ahsoka gave me a death stare, so I wouldn't continue to hold it against her (at least not in front of her face). "What doesn't make you think that I let you win?"

"Because you never saw the Force Cloak coming," I retorted.

"It doesn't matter anymore; we will have to trust each other no matter what. It's the simple Jedi protocol"

About two seconds of silence had passed before I spoke. "You really thought I was a _shabla_ Sith?"

"I did for a moment," she replied. "What are you speaking? Because I know it's not Basic."

I considered telling her for a moment. The point she made about trust made up my mind. "It is the language of the Mandalorian Warrior Clans."

"You mean the Mandalorians that are now mercenaries? The guns-for-hire that are aligned with the Separatists?"

"That's a very blunt way of putting it but yes. The Mandalorians these days are the pacifists, they are called the _New _Mandalorians. They through away most of the warrior codes that they historically followed. The clans scattered throughout the planet and wait for the time to regain control of the planet."

"How do you know this?" Ahsoka asked me.

I sighed. "My father was a Mandalorian Warrior. He was to marry a woman of Mandalorian heritage, however he chose my mom. They met on Tatooine and lived there when they had me. My dad still true to the Mandalorian ways was to train me as a warrior when I was eight. However, complications arose and started to train me when I was five to protect my self in need be. My father went to Jabba the Hutt's Palace, but never came back. My mom said he was on a very long assignment. But I was smarter then she thought I was. I knew Jabba had killed him, I could see when I was asleep. I started to have visions of the past, how my father stood in front of the Hutt and apologized for not keeping the target he was assigned to alive.

"I saw Jabba press a button on his hover chair and a trap door dropped my father into the pit. The last thing I heard was a loud roar and I woke up in a cold sweat. After my father died, my mom and I moved to Ryloth."

"I'm sorry, Jadin," Ahsoka said. "Seeing visions that young had to be traumatizing for you."

"There were, that's when I decided to train my self to see the visions more clearly some of them were of my father being trained by his father, my grandfather. I learned the Mandalorian fighting styles from the visions. When I was looking in the visions, I could open my eyes and I could see that I was lifting up a pebble or two. I soon was able to focus on the bigger rocks and throw them."

"That's amazing," Ahsoka said fascinated. "I was only able to be a normal toddler until Master Plo Koon found my on Shili, my home world, and took me and gave me a home in the Jedi Temple. I consider him my dearest friend."

"Friends are the best thing in the galaxy to have," I said. "It turns out I might have a new friend sitting right next to me."

Ahsoka nodded. She was about to say something else when her wrist comlink blinked. I nodded for her to answer it. "Ahsoka here," she said into the comm.

"Ahsoka, bring Jadin up here, you had better see this," Skywalker's voice came through electronically.

"We'll be there, Master," Ahsoka said. "Let's go, if there's one thing I learned of being with Anakin all this time is that he is impatient when it comes to giving orders."

"Right, let's go," I replied.

We walked back the way me and Skywalker came when we went down here. The clones we passed looked at me differently than they did when I was with Skyguy. Heh, I like saying that. One clone came up to us. He had to be a decorated trooper by the looks of his armor. He had a black with blue striped Kama, or bullet proof skirt. The pauldron he wore signified him as a 'dead-eye' or sniper so to speak. There was a stripe that went down each of his arms that was also blue. His helmet was designed with some _Jaig_ eyes, or shriek hawk in Mandalorian. It's a sigil bestowed by clan leaders as a mark of honor. The problem I had no idea what his name was.

"Ahsoka," the trooper said. "General Skywalker wants you up on the bridge."

"I know, Rex," Ahsoka said. "The general commed me just a moment ago….Oh, before I forget, Capitan Rex, this is Jadin. Jadin, Rex" 

"Pleasure to meet you, sir" I said grabbing his hand and shaking it.

"Likewise, kid," Rex replied shaking my hand in return. "So, it looks I'll be seeing more of you two then."

"Yes," I replied. "I don't think a person of your caliber would be able to take orders from me."

"Heh," Rex chucked. "If those are your orders, sir."

"Haha. Good one, Rex" Ahsoka laughed. "Well, you know what it's like when the general is waiting to long."

"I will never feel the same after that time on Tibrin," Rex said. "You better get going."

"See you around," Ahsoka said as we walked into the turbolift. She pressed the button that would lead us to the top level.

"That Rex seems like a nice guy," I said.

"He is, saved my life a few times."

"Would seem like he would be the one to do it."

We got up to the second level below the bridge when it suddenly stopped. We both fell to the floor, Ahsoka on top of me.

"Uhh," I started to say.

"Did you press the stop button?" she asked almost in an annoyed tone.

"No," I said. (Honestly I didn't) "Did you?"

She gave me the annoyed look and got off of me. "No. Well at least there's one way out of here."

"Ahh, no offence," I said. "But we don't want to get out, we want to get moving."

Ahsoka was already slicing into the top of the elevator with her lightsaber. I was fiddling around with the circuits in the turbolift controls to contact the bridge on the frequency I asked Ahsoka to give me. I spoke into the speaker.

"Testing," I said. "Bridge this is turbolift 3174. Come in, is anyone-"

I was cut short by the falling of a big hunk of durasteel. I had to move out of the way before it crunched me. Ahsoka jumped where she had made the hole and out of the lift.

"Are you always on the move!" I asked her.

"You're starting to sound like Master Obi-Wan!" she yelled back. "Are you coming or not?"

I had no choice, I had to dig deep and use the force to jump since the hole was 7 feet high. I taped into my energy reservoir and jumped. Strangely enough, I made it out of the lift. "Okay, we're out here, now what?" I had to yell over the clanking of all the other lifts cables.

Ahsoka looked around for a moment then pointed above us where the door to the bridge was. It opened up strangely enough. "Come on, we got to jump up there" Ahsoka said.

"Okay jumping up and out of the elevator is one thing, jumping 15 feet in the air is a different story," I replied. "How 'bout we use the supports to jump up there?"

Ahsoka shrugged and started to jump up the lift guiderails. I started to follow. It's not that it was hard, only that Ahsoka was so much faster. It was official that I had a lot to learn. Ahsoka got to the edge when the lift below us suddenly dropped faster than a stone.

"Oh shit," Ahsoka cursed.

"No margin for error this time, am I right?" I asked.

Ahsoka shook her head. I was now right next to her on the rail under the door. Two clones then emerged from the entranced and the creak of clone armor struck our ears as there was two blasters pointed strait at us.

"Don't move, Jedi," a clone said.

"Okay, what the hell just happened?" Ahsoka asked just as a blue blaster bolt came right between her hands on the rail.

"Shut up," another one said. "Climb up, now."

Ahsoka and I just did as we were told and climbed up to the door were the clones helped us up, but as they did that, they strapped a couple of SC-401 stun cuffs onto our wrists. They slowly walked us to the second turbolift to the brig. If either one of us tried to move the cuffs my physical force, they cuffs would deliver a shock to us that might knock us out.

Once we got to the lift, I spoke to Ahsoka through the Force. _We have got to get out of here_, I told her.

_I know that but how_?, she asked me. I had to think about that for a second, there seemed to be no way out, but the visions of my father taught me something: for every doubt there is a chance, the only time is when to take it.

_Let your mind form with mine_, I told her.

_What?_ she asked.

_Let us work as one_, I said. I reached out to Ahsoka and she reached out to me the same way. When we touched, we became one person, an all powerful entity that could move a Jedi Cruiser with ease. A bond had created a _meld_ so to say. We both kicked our clones in the head and unleashed our binders by crushing them with the Force. Our thoughts became one, our actions became one. We were one. We could do anything we wanted. And what we wanted to do was get to the bridge. We ran at the same pace and sensed everything that went on in the ship. In about a minute we were surrounded by clones. There blasters were pointing at us when we summoned all the energy around us, consumed it into a sphere the size of my palm, and unleashed it outwards. It harmed everyone around us but us.

We continued to walk to the bridge and the door was closed of course.

"Figures," we both said.

We both gave our selves even more to the Force, becoming more powerful. We had every ounce of the living energy field coursing through us. We held up all of our hands to our sides and punched a hole through the blast door. We walked through only to see Skywalker unharmed, not even dead clones around him. Only the ones that were operating the ship on the last visit I was up here.

"Hello, Ahsoka and Jadin," he said as if nothing outside the bridge had happened. "Took you long enough to get here."

I dropped the meld that bonded us. "We just got attacked by ten clones," I said. "What the hell is going on?"

Skywalker got a smirk as if he was about to burst out laughing. "Oh no," I said.

"This was just another one of your tests!" Ahsoka said stealing the words out of my mouth.

Skywalker nodded, "Just to prove to someone that you could be trained under the same roof as Ahsoka."

A little figure walked out from behind Skywalker, he was old, I could tell. He was green skinned and short. He looked like he wore the robes of the Jedi, but it was impossible, a being like this couldn't be a Jedi.

"Hmm, judge me by my size, do you?" the green being asked.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" I asked him.

Ahsoka nudged me. "What?" I asked her.

"This is Jedi Grand Master Yoda, head of the Jedi Counsel," she said.

"Reckless, you two are," Yoda spoke. "However, together, better you both work."

"At least we lived," I pointed out.

Yoda then faced Skywalker. "Interesting students, you have."

"I guess they just come to me, Master Yoda," he replied winking at me.

"Hmm, on Coruscant, will we land in a moment," Yoda said. "To the Jedi temple, we must go. For you have training to start, Padawan Jadin."

I bowed to Yoda. "Thank you, Master," I said. "I will not disappoint you or Master Skywalker."

"Ahsoka, Jadin," Anakin said. "Go get your things; we are going to stay on Coruscant for a while for me to properly train Jadin to catch up with you, Ahsoka."

"Yes, Master" we both said at the same time. We could then that the meld could never be let down fully now. I could also sense something else, something that seemed…forbidden….

**AN: Well now! I think that that was a good chapter. I had lots of fun writing this chapter, with the uncovering on Jadin's past, the 'team-building' exercise so to say. Not to mention writing backwards with Yoda. ****Please Review****! Thanks.**


	5. A Forbidden Rule

**AN: Sorry about the long wait guys. But this was a hard chapter to write…And I haven't really been writing that much. But anyways, this takes right when the Season 2 premier of "The Clone Wars" starts, so every "Clone Wars" fan knows what happens so this is just a remake for the first part. The rest is up for improvement if anything is necessary (which it always is)…Oh, and a genre change might be necessary at the end of this chapter…Anyways, Read and Review.**

Well, my opinion of Felucia is not what most people would expect. It was damp, humid, hot, and most importantly a plant hell. There were nocturnal animals that would be able to kill you by putting a neurotoxin in your nerves that would make you kill yourself without thought.

That wasn't the only big problem; there were the indigenous that were constantly harassing us. They didn't have a hive mind so they were just acting in self defense. There bone swords could block our lightsabers, it makes more sense why the Separatists chose to create a droid factory here.

Back to the present, Ahsoka and I were on a patrol on a turbo tank. Completely inconspicuous, right? So we took a take though a clearing where there were a few minor droid outposts, but we easily destroyed them. Big mistake. The outposts were sending out a constant signal that was reporting back to the main base. Once that signal is destroyed, it sends out an automatic alarm to all outposts. We had to get out, but Master Plo was busy in the sky trying to bust a hole in the blockade. We had to hold out until the masters got to us.

The blaster fire was all around me and Ahsoka now as we stood on the top of the turbo tank. I had gotten on some gauntlets that were standard clone trooper armor. Like it would protect me from a blaster bolt in the chest. Anyways, Ahsoka was trying to reflect the droids blaster fire but I could tell she was scared to death. She wasn't trying to show it, being a Togruta it wasn't in her nature to show fear. The droids didn't stand a chance with the tanks laser cannons firing at them. We then got some comlink chatter from the Jedi encrypted channel.

"Ahsoka, Jadin, where are you?" Kenobi's voice came through the speaker. "What is your location?"

It was hard to hear with the 'Sounds of War' were around us at full volume. The lightsaber deflecting laser fire, the laser fire itself, and the big artillery cannon on the top of the turbo tank. "About six clicks east, Master," Ahsoka answered. "We've engaged the enemy and we got them on the run!"

The cannon fired at the AAT that had now joined the fight and took out most of the droids in the front. Obi-Wan answered back on the comlink, "They are here to extract us. We're leaving."

"What!" she exclaimed. "But, we can't retreat now, Master. We've broken through."

"Ahsoka, let's get out of here!" I tried to say.

"The droids are retreating," she said into the comlink proudly.

"You must evacuate!" Kenobi barked. "That is an order!"

"Damn it, Ahsoka! Stop fighting!" I yelled at her. "We drove them back but for how long!"

"Master Skywalker taught me to never let up when the Tinnies are on the run!" She yelled at me and probably loud enough for the comlink to pick us up.

"They are running here to regroup with the main force," Kenobi explained as the hum of a gunship taking of sounded off in the background. "You are putting your troops' lives in danger young one. You will get on the gunship when we arrive." There was then a voice in the background but it was cut short when Obi-Wan muted his comlink.

We were cut off short but I could see what was going to happen. The droids ran to gather reinforcements and would cut us off on both sides in a matter of minutes. "Ahsoka," I tried to reason with her. "You can't see it but the droids are coming a lot faster than I thought. All troops! Abandon the tank! I repeat, _abandon the tank_!"

The clones listened to me and got out of the tank with all haste. The roars of the gunships' engines were heard overhead just as I gave the order. "What the hell are you doing!" Ahsoka yelled at me. "Can't you see they're retreating!"

The gunships landed in front of us, blocking the droids line of fire. The clones on the broadside opened fire with their blaster rifles, providing cover fire. Anakin got out of the gunship first. "Get in the ship now!"

I took the troops that had all been with me at the time onto the gunships. The wounded were taken to a different gunship than that of the unwounded. I never got the first part of Anakin and Ahsoka's conversation but I got the end of it _pretty_ well.

"They are about to overrun you Ahsoka!" Anakin shouted. "You just can't see it. Now follow orders and get in the ship!"

Ahsoka had a glint of regret in her eyes but got on the gunship anyway. It turns out I was right and the main force of droids had just arrived. The gunships took off and we heard the sound of the repulsors kicking in at full blast. All the droids had surrounded the abandon turbo tank and blasted it about 40 feet in the air. Don't get me wrong, it was a cool sight to see. The explosion rang my ears like a Tatooinian gong. But what wasn't a good looking sight was the look Anakin gave to her first apprentice. It was one of those _if-looks-could-kill_ looks, like I said, _not pretty_.

Back on the _Prometheus_, (the flagship of Master Plo's fleet) Ahsoka and I were sent to our quarters. We got there and I started fiddling with my datapad that I had picked up on Coruscant in the brief month I was there. Ahsoka just sat in her bunk and stared up at the ceiling. I didn't want to read her thoughts, just a precaution. Instead she came to me, _I'm sorry_.

_It's not your fault, Anakin gave us both more freedom than he should_, I said back. I got off my bunk and put my datapad in hibernation mode. I went over to the side of her bed and sat on the edge of it. _Whatever happens, I don't think it's likely that they'll kill you in your sleep_.

She laughed, it seemed that made the pain go away for a brief time. She got up to sit next to me. _You aren't that funny, Mando Boy_, she teased.

_I don't think that I'm funny…Just funnier,_ I told her. Ahsoka chuckled in return, but this time: there was no nickname making, no replies to try and be even. Just the two of us staring into each other's eyes. Her eyes were blue, but not just any blue. They were hazel blue; half ocean, half sky; they could be magnificent under a sun rather than artificial lighting. They were still gorgeous-

_Wait, what am I doing?_ I asked myself so Ahsoka couldn't hear. I closed my eyes and turned my head away. _I'm a Jedi, attachment is forbidden._ I thought. _Then again, having two apprentices is forbidden too._

I turned back to see her turned around just as I was. "What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Your right," she replied solemnly.

"About what?"

"Attachment."

"Uh-huh?"

"It's forbidden."

"I don't believe it is anymore. There must have been a reason why the Jedi Counsel allowed Master Skywalker _two_ apprentices. It has never been done before. Just like attachment."

She looked back at me; we stared into each other's eyes again. "It's still _forbidden_," she said.

"You might be right. But I think that we'll live to see that rule change." I said. _Wow. I sound like a holodrama._

She leaned over and gave me a hug. I was surprised but I should have seen that coming. I hugged her for only a moment before I heard someone approaching the door. I ran back to my bunk and turned my datapad back on and told Ahsoka to put a lid on her feelings. The door opened and Rex appeared in the doorway.

"General Skywalker wants Jadin up on the bridge," he announced.

I got up and walked out. I let Rex go first so I could glance one more time at Ahsoka. _I'll be back_, I told her.

Rex walked to the turbo lift, which was more like my run. "Rex, what does the general want with me?"

"Don't know, sir," he replied.

_Great_, I thought. "Oh, Rex," I said.

"Yes?"

"If I ever am hesitant to give an order to you…Use your instincts Jango taught you."

Rex nodded and we continued onto the bridge.

I got to the bridge were there was a familiar sight: Anakin, Obi-Wan and Plo were standing next to one another almost the same way as I had first seen the bridge. Anakin turned around and walked over to me. "Jadin," he said. "I want you to go on a recon mission for me."

"Me?" I wondered. "Why?"

"You're the most qualified Jedi we have at the moment," he answered. But something about this was too mysterious.

"You want Ahsoka to stand alone in front of the Counsel aren't you?" I asked seeing through his plan.

"She needs to take responsibility for her actions," he answered. "I want you to get punished for something you didn't do."

But I was in the same place as Ahsoka was. It didn't make much sense. But it made some. Anakin wanted me to not persuade the Counsel to letting Ahsoka's punishment go better for her as I would have to share it also. "Okay," I said. "Let me go back to my bunk to get some things and I'll meet you in the hanger."

Anakin nodded once and I went back to the turbo lift.

I got back to my quarters where Ahsoka was waiting; I didn't expect her to _go _anywhere.

"What happened?" she asked.

"The Masters want me to be on recon duty for awhile," I said solemnly.

Ahsoka was shocked, I could tell. She would now have no one to back her up when she faced the Counsel. "Why would they do that?"

"They don't want me in trouble for something I didn't do."

"But why do they have to separate us?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. It might be for Felucia. Or…," I paused. "_Other_ reasons."

"I don't think they would find out so fast," Ahsoka joked. "Don't get yourself killed out there."

She gave me a hug, but this time, it meant something more. It seemed like every ounce of feelings for me were radiated though the personal connection that no other Jedi had. I learned right then, that the Force had bonded us more than friends. I hugged her in return, showing her those same feelings for her. Unfortunately, someone would come looking for me. I released our embrace, physically and in the Force.

I lifted her chin up so I could look in her eyes. "I'll be back soon," I said. I leaned my head forward and kissed her. And the best part is was that she kissed me back. "Just remember to hide your feelings from Anakin. Especially when you're presenting your case to the Counsel."

She nodded and we hugged one last time before I left. _I love you, Jadin_ she whispered in my head.

_I know_, I whispered back and left towards the hanger. With a lid on my feelings. It felt terrible to not express my feelings for Ahsoka. _This is going to be harder than I thought_, I thought to myself.

**AN: Like I said…GENRE CHANGE! I'll try to the best of my abilities to get the next chapter up and running within the next week. If you got this far, and didn't skip the entire story to read the Author's Note, ****Review, anything is accepted**** (accept bad stuff though**)** Thanks again. KEEP ON READIN'!**


	6. The ARC 170

**AN: Now, this chapter, I have been obsessed with completing so my readers can have less of a wait. Some anonymous reviewers have claimed this to be there favorite story. I can't tell you how great that feels. This chapter is a short one, but it builds up to a big chapter coming up. Thanks again, keep the reviews coming.**

The hanger of the _Prometheus_ was filled starships. V-19 Torrents were all around the hanger, there was about 200 of them all stacked up, probably not going to see contact for a while. But one ship among the rest stood out like a sore thumb in the middle of the hanger. It was a type of ship I have never seen before. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Plo were waiting beside the ship with an astromech I knew as R2-D2.

"Say hello to the ARC-170 Prototype," Anakin said proudly to me.

This ship was amazing looking. It looked like an annoying metal bug with its wings folded all the way out. It had two big sublight engines that were connected to the fuselage. At the end of the wings were two laser cannons that looked like jousting spears. But the interesting part of it was that there were three seats.

"This is the newest fighter produced by Incom and Subpro Corporations. They have generously offered the Republic to test it out. It possesses an S-foil system, which helps to radiate heat, which that aids the fighter's shielding. This also provides additional stability during atmospheric flight," Plo said. "It carries six proton torpedoes, and it has wingtip-mounted medium laser cannons. In fairness, this is one of the most powerful fighters we have at our disposal."

I could do nothing but admire the ship. I had gotten some training on the way to Felucia in a flight simulator. Hopefully they'll let me fly it.

"We have decided that we will send a test clone out on the mission with you," Kenobi said. Well ain't that a spirit crusher?

"Who's going to be coming with me then?" I asked.

"My wing man, Warthog," Plo said offering out a hand behind me to a clone. His helmet was decorated with symbols that symbolized a warthog. His armor had a respirator attachment on his chest leading up to his helmet sides, probably for when he EVed (ejected from his ship).

Plo introduced us. "Warthog, this is Commander Jadin."

"Good to meet you, sir," he said standing at-ease.

"Same to you," I replied. "So, where are we going?"

"Artoo," Anakin said to the astromech.

The droid stuck his third wheel up so he was standing on his two side 'limbs' so to say. He projected a hologram of a planet with rings surrounding it. "This is Geonosis, former capital of the CIS's forces," Obi-Wan stated. "We have recently got some intelligence reports that say the native Geonosian population has risen and has formed resistance cells and are planning to retake the planet."

"We want to send the both of you in and get to the bottom of this," Anakin added.

"What do you want us to look for, General?" Warthog said.

"Find out how far deep these resistance cells go," Plo said. "If they go as deep as we fear, Geonosis will fall within a week."

Warthog and I nodded knowing what the stakes were. We could not fail, the Republic needed this intelligence. _Do you really think sending me on a mission alone is the best for a _new _apprentice_? I asked Anakin.

_The best way to learn something, is on the job_, he replied. He had a point, some Jedi apprentices wouldn't be the way they are now by sitting at the Jedi Temple meditating. "Okay then," I said. "Warthog, I'll get suited up while you do warm the ship up."

Warthog nodded as I went to the armory to pick up a flight suit. The armory held a lot of things: blaster rifles, pistols, thermal detonators, armor (which is where I got my gauntlets from). _Where are the_…, I looked in the auxiliary armory and opened the blast door. _Flight suits_…_I should have guessed_. I pick out one of the hangers and put it on. They were all black so I didn't matter. I also picked up a life support system that I put around the suit so it rested comfortably on my chest.

I even picked up a holster and pistol (a DC-15s side arm blaster) when I walked out of the armory. Yes, yes, I know: unorthodox Jedi on the run! But no, I'm not that good with a lightsaber and it's a hell of a lot easier to pull a trigger. Just as I was about to walk out but I was pushed back by an invisible push. I was off balance for a little bit but a hand pulled me up. It was Ahsoka.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked her. She went to close the door leading to the armory.

"Yes," she answered. "Why? Would you rather me do this in the hanger?" She kissed me.

"Not so much, no," I replied with another kiss. "This isn't going to be easy."

"What?" she asked.

"Me being away from you, you away from me."

She nodded. "Jadin, you don't have to do this. You can stay on Coruscant."

"And run away," I walked around the room. "I can't do that. Jedi don't run. Especially one of Mandalorian blood."

"I don't want you to do this," she hugged me. "I don't want you loose you."

"I don't want to lose you either. But the Republic needs Jedi just as we need the clones. I have to do this."

"Okay, I'll wait for you," she said. "I'll keep a lid on my feelings no matter how bad it feels. I will hope to see you again."

I nodded; I let my grasp of her go. She opened the door and walked out left to the bridge. I walked out a minute later going to the hanger in the opposite direction. Ahsoka would be fine with out me. _Physically _of course.

In the hanger, Warthog and Plo-Koon had the main systems up and running. I got in the highest pilot seat on the ship. Apparently this was the weapon's center of the ship. So if we came across any fighters, I'll be the one to shoot them down. Fun, right? Right behind me was an R2 unit designation R8-M3.

"You two come back in one piece," Plo said expressionless. "Warthog, keep an eye on Jadin," he said then jumped up to my cockpit. "Keep an eye on Warthog."

I laughed. "No problem, Master Plo." He nodded and jumped off.

"You ready, kid?" Warthog said over the ships internal comlink.

"Are you?" I joked.

"Hell yes," Warthog laughed. A flight control coordinator contacted Warthog. "Control tower, this is the ARC-170 ready for take off."

"Stand by for authorization," the clone coordinator said. "Approved, ARC-170. Proceed to hyperspace jump coordinance."

"Understood, Control," Warthog replied. "Thanks."

The vertical repulsors kicked in as Warthog pressed the throttle forward. The control clones at the bottom directed our exit out of the hanger. Once we got into the main channel way out side the shield, Warthog engaged the sublight engines and we flew into space. "Arrate," Warthog said to the astromech. "Calculate hyperspace jump to Geonosis, us the coordinance that General Plo gave you."

The droid gave a couple of bleeps that registered on the Heads Up Display as AFFERMATIVE. We sped off away from the _Prometheus_. After about a minute, Arrate reported his status on the hyperdrive calculations. COURSE TO GEONOSIS SET, COMMENCE HYPERDRIVE ACTIVATION WHEN READY.

"Thanks Arrate," I said. "Whenever you're ready, Warthog."

"Engaging hyperdrive," Warthog stated as he pulled down a lever to activate the hyperdrive.

The stars in the black void turned to streamlines, as the fighter went into a window that would transport us faster than light to our destination. Once I looked back and saw the _Prometheus_, then nothing. We were in hyperspace, on our way to Geonosis.

**AN: Like I said, not the most intense chapter ever, but there was some interaction with Ahsoka and Jadin but that's not very big. Anyways, thanks for reading. ****REVIEW please****. Love you hear your guys' feedback. Next chapter up soon (Hopefully haha).**


	7. Geonosis, Geonosians, and a Jedi?

**AN: Wow, I finally got this chapter done. With my days off, I have been writing this fun (but extremely long) chapter. I even brought a character that I believed to be on Geonosis at the time. Anyways, ****read and review always****. Thanks again.**

To be frank, hyperspace was more boring that watching a low-production-cost holodrama. Luckily I had my datapad with me. I was also talking to Warthog most of the time. I was asking him how many recon missions he has been on (two). I could tell that he was getting annoyed when I got to the 5th question.

"Warthog," I said to him. "I need to tell you something I told to a lot of other clones that would be under my command on anything. If you ever question my judgment on something, or if I'm incapacitated, use the Mandalorian instinct that's in your genes."

"Yes, sir," Warthog replied.

"And call me Jadin," I retorted.

"Yes, si-, Jadin."

"Better, thank you."

Just then, a light and sound went off in the cockpit. WE ARE APPROACHING GEONOSIS. "Got it, Arrate," Warthog said. A couple seconds later, the hyperdrive started to power down as we came out of hyperspace and back into realspace. The sight was amazing. Geonosis had no vegetation what so ever, so no green. The entire planet was a light red, almost orange. There were asteroid rings surrounding the planet which I got a good look at when Warthog flew threw it to the planet's upper atmosphere.

The ship's shield protected the hull from re-entry into the atmosphere. After a few moments, the rocky surface of Geonosis was visible to the both of us. "Wow," I said. "And I thought Ryloth was rough."

Ryloth had plants and animals; it was at least colorful on the light-side. But Geonosis was just _bare_. I couldn't see any life forms. It was like the planet was dead. Warthog turned on the sensors to pick up any life forms on the surface in our immediate area. There were none.

We flew over miles of desert land and found nothing but a bunch of small organisms, and then we flew over sand dunes that led to rocky land with what it looked like to be a ship graveyard. "What is this place?" I asked Warthog who brought his head up from the sensors to look out at the massive ships.

"Those are, or what is left of, Core Ships," he replied. "The SPAH-Ts took these out before they could get to space."

These ships were massive; they looked like a big ball that would bounce to space had it not been made out of metal. We flew over most of them. The field that was a couple kilometers always was covered with droids, deactivated and destroyed. "This is where we had engaged the droids coming from the Core Ship."

There was shine in the dirt as well, then I realized. It was clone armor. Helmets, gauntlets, chest armor, and numerous others. We flew over further and further until we flew past a rock formation with a pit in the center. "What is that over there?" I asked?

Warthog looked over to the left where the pit was. "That was the start of this conflict. And by conflict I mean the start of this war.

Warthog took the ARC-170 to the center of the pit where we both opened our canopies and got out of the ship. The dirt was just like all the others. However, this was covered with metal, what looked like to me mechanical arms, and…head, droid heads. "I know this place," I said. "This is where the Jedi Order made their stand against the Separatists."

Warthog nodded. "Before we got here, the Jedi had to fight off numerous Geonosians, standard battle droids, and super battle droids. I took one of the gunships that rescued the Jedi, that's how I landed so well here, I've done this before."

I smiled, "So you are involved with the 501st?"

He nodded again. "Once I regrouped with our remaining forces at the forward command center, I was called by another troop to take him and some others to the Geonosian fighter hanger about 100 kilometers south of here. We got there only to find three Jedi, two were severely injured."

"Anakin and Obi-Wan," I said. "That's why Master Skywalker has the mechanical arm."

Just then a sound came from a rock tumbling from the top balcony. Warthog and I looked up to there the sound came from. It was a Geonosian. I took out my blaster that was in my holster and pointed it up where the warrior was.

Warthog went back to the ship and took out his blaster. The warrior flew down with his polearm spear. He screeched as loud as possible and came up behind Warthog and caught him off guard. Warthog tried to hold him back but the damn bug was a little bit stronger than him. Warthog got pushed against the ship with the Geonosian trying to eat his face off. I pulled out my lightsaber and ignited it. Warthog was about to lose the rest of his strength before I stabbed my blue blade through the Geonosian with all my might. I angled my blade up and hit the switch and my blade from blue and one meter long to silver and two meters. I lifted my saber up and cut the warrior's upper body and head, cutting from his torso up in half.

The two halves fell down. I switched the crystals and turned off my lightsaber. I helped Warthog up. "Thanks," Warthog said.

""Don't mention it," I said looking at the two halves that used to be one. "What the hell was he doing here?"

""My guess was that he was a scout," Warthog replied. "He was probably checking out the unique ship flying overhead. And if we stay here any longer, we might end up just like him: Bloody and half the men we were."

"I'm happy I got the pilot with a good sense of humor," I said.

Warthog nodded and pointed up to the balcony where the warrior had come from. "Let's see what's up there. We'll scout it out and be on our way."

He went back to the ship and grabbed two grappling wires from the ship's rear gunner seat. They were actually different though. One was to be hooked on to Warthog's blaster; the other was handheld that he gave to me. "Point where you want to hit and press this button," he showed me the big button on the top. I nodded and we walked under the balcony. Warthog pointed his blaster up and activated his wire. The wire shot out and hooked on to the balcony's rail. He retracted the wire, pulling him up with it. I shot mine up, it over shot the rail and grasped onto the balcony floor. I pulled myself up just as Warthog did and got on to the balcony. Warthog had to pull himself up over the rail without falling down.

Once he got over, I pointed to the way that seemed to be the only way in. "Let's check that place out," I suggested.

He nodded a followed me into the tunnel. We walked down for about a minute before we came to a cross roads. "Which way do you think?" I asked.

"Let's check out the dark," Warthog suggested. "We don't want to go outside just yet 'till we know where that scout came from."

We went to the right and kept on going until we could see…_light_? Yes it was light that I saw. We walked a lot more cautiously. Once we got about ten meters, we could hear…_clicking_. But not mechanical clicking but lingual clicking. Geonosian, I mouthed to Warthog. The clicking and buzzing got louder as we got closer until we got to a chamber, which was filled with bugs.

Warthog and I were on a balcony overlooking all the Geonosians and an enormous hologram projector. One of the Geonosians powered up the projector. The immediate image was another rock formation like the arena. This one however, was different.

"Why would some rock become important enough to become a hologram?" I asked.

"Shut up!" Warthog exclaimed quietly. "I'm trying to pay attention."

"See," I whispered back. "You got the hang of me not being a true leader quicker than I thought."

Warthog shook his head and looked back down. Just then the hologram changed from a rock formation to another object. A…_tank_! "What the fu—"

"Don't ask me," Warthog cut me off. "But it looks like the Separatists have something new up their sleeves."

The tank looked like a multi-troop transport for the droids that have been in use by the Trade Federation since the start of the war. But it was different entirely. I would later learn that it was about half the size of an MTT and a hell of a lot more deadly. What I could tell was that it was heavily armored and could pack a punch.

"We got to get back and report this to the Jedi," I said. "I feel a battle coming, bigger that the first one here. Come on let's go."

"Wait," Warthog said, grabbing my arm. "We can't leave with just the hear-say from us. If I know anything, it's that this army doesn't go by rumors."

"Okay," I said. "But we do it when they all go to the catacombs."

We waited until night before all the warriors and technicians left the holographic generator, Warthog and I decided to make our move. We grappled down using the wires that we had to get up the balcony. We got down and there was no sign of anyone/thing watching us.

We walked over to the holoprojecter. Warthog went over to the console and started transferring the data to a code cylinder so we could send it to the Republic to launch an invasion. What I found weird was that there was no one guarding this valuable piece of data. That's where I was wrong...

Just then the lights turned on in the chamber, and the ceiling was covered with Geonosians that surrounded Warthog and I before I could even get my lightsaber out. There had to be at least 10 in the room, all of them were pointing there spears and sonic blasters at us. "Well this," Warthog said. "Another fine mess you've gotten us into."

"Your sense of humor is getting better by the minute," I replied and I put my hands up. One of the Geonosians took my lightsaber and blaster. One was clicking at me in there language which I took as, "Move along."

I started to walk out of the chamber with only three Geonosians. It turns out we were to stay there for three days. Until one day, we walked down through the catacombs for five minutes. Then, out of the darkness in the chamber, I heard a noise. But not just any noise…the _snap-hiss_ of a lightsaber. I turned around and saw a blue light slice through the three Geonosians that were escorting us. The blade of blue steadied and I could make out a face. It was a girl, couldn't have been more that 17 standard years old. She had a cloak that was speckled black and gray. Her skin was a thin yellow and she had black freckles in a distinct pattern on both cheeks.

"Good day," she said delicately. "My name is Barriss Offee."

Wow, first thing first was that I needed to get my blaster and lightsaber. I picked both of them up from the Geonosian that escorted us. "Well then, Barriss Offee, thanks."

She turned off her lightsaber and turned back at me. "Let's go," she said. "Before more of them come."

Warthog and I nodded and followed her through the winding caves and tunnels. Thankfully the Geonosians aren't on a hive mind or else we would have an entire Geonosian army on our tail. Thankfully we were able to get through the maze of tunnels to the outside…but away from the ARC-170. We had to get far away before any other bug found the ones we diced up in the hallway.

We took a brief rest and we took some "formal" greetings. I had to keep breathing because I hadn't mastered breath control yet. Barriss had complete control of her breath. "Thanks again."

"Well, you know my name," she turned around to look back at me. "But I don't know both of yours."

"Oh, sorry," I introduced myself. "I'm Jadin and this is Warthog."

I toke a leisurely bow. When I looked back up, I could see that Barriss was eye level to me. She turned back around to look at both me and Warthog. "It's a pleasure to meet you two," she replied. "Now, one more question, what brings you both out as far as Geonosis?"

I told her the story about how Warthog and I were on a reconnaissance mission to check out the resistance cells in this sector. Geonosis was one of the main sources so we got sent to there. How we were attacked by a scout that alerted our presence to the other Geonosians and that how we got captured and came to be with her.

"Now that's a story," she said after I finished (with some help from Warthog). "So you said you came in a ship that could fit three?"

I nodded. "We were test flying the new ARC-170. We landed in the middle of the arena."

She shook her head. "I guess that is a lost cause. The Geonosians probably have either sabotaged it or destroyed it."

"Couldn't hurt to try," I said. "The advanced sensors on the ARC are able to contact Coruscant at minimum communications power."

"You make a good point," Barriss replied. "And it couldn't hurt to try; I have been trying to get in contact with the Counsel about the tank and the primary droid foundry."

"Why didn't the Republic remember that there were still the droid plans in the main computers?" I asked. "I thought that they took this planet the full force of the 501st."

"They did, we just thought that we could leave them be with a clone regiment and a Jedi Commander," Barriss explained. "The strength from the resistance cells was stronger than the regiment could handle. The Geonosians took back control of the planet. I was sent just as you were but my ship got shot down."

"I guess they probably wanted to check out what the hell was flying over them and who it belonged to," Warthog suggested. "It is a brand-new, never-before-seen ship after all."

"If you're right, and it is a brand-new ship," Barriss started. "Then the Geonosians are probably researching the ship as we speak. If they are back in league with the Confederacy, then we can't let those ship designs fall into their hands. It could be a major setback for the Republic."

I looked at Warthog. "I told you not to land in the arena."

"I was busy giving a history lesson to a little _chakaar_!" Warthog yelled.

_Ouch_, I thought to myself. He just called me a bitch in Mandalorian. "Point taken," I said to him.

"Now if you two are done!" Barriss interrupted. "We have to come up with a plan to get up to the ARC-170 and contact Coruscant."

"I agree," I said. "Now, I suggest we get back to the arena and see what we are up against."

Barriss and Warthog nodded and we ran back to the arena which was about a kilometer away. When we got there, we went in the way the Jedi during the first battle of Geonosis went. Barriss told me that the Jedi started at the top of the cliff and worked their way down to the lower levels. She told Warthog and I how to get up there being undetected. So we were going to follow in the Jedi's footsteps. We, meaning Warthog and I, got up to the top levels and I took out my macrobinoculars and adjusted them to look at the ARC-170.

"Well, there are two creatures down there but I don't see any-" I said but stopped. "Wait a second. There's a Geonosian, I can see one of them now."

Just then something interrupted my image. I looked up to find a Geonosian standing in front of Warthog and I. Its eyes shined yellow in the dark as it let out a war cry and tried to slice me in half with his staff. Warthog fell back and, since his helmet was off, he got knocked unconscious. I moved out of the way twice before he got me in the stomach which threw me on the ground from the force of the blow. I was on the ground rolling left and right to avoid the butt of the spear blow. However I rolled over and I found a Geonosian spear the head when I rolled over, knocking me out.

I don't remember what happened when I was unconscious, I only remember waking up to an abandoned arena center with some parts scattered around. I also saw Barriss as the first face when I woke up. She had her hand on my head helping me sit up. She reminded me of Ahsoka. I had to make it back in one piece for her. "Take it easy," Barriss said. "I guess you've had a busy day to be knocked out within the night."

"You get hit in the head by a bug and we'll see how you fair," I replied groggily through the throbbing head ache. "How did you even get past all the bugs that were around the ship?"

"I sent out a sound of a Geonosian hydra, a natural enemy of the Geonosians," she replied. "Being on Geonosis for a while, I got _acquainted_ with the locals, so to say."

My head was throbbing like hell as I got up, I actually almost fell. "What's the situation then?" I asked.

"Well," she started. "I was right about them trying to study it. But they did it in an unsophisticated way. They took off some of the hull. But luckily they didn't damage any of the major systems like shields, engines, inertial dampers, hyperdrive, main weapons and especially: communications. But, your astromech seems to be missing."

"But, we can fire this up, right?" I asked.

"Yes, but it will take some time," she replied. "We still have the main blaster cannons so if we find ourselves in the middle of a fire fight; we can hold our own relatively well."

"Good to know," I told her. "Can you start up the engines?"

She nodded. "It would be great if you could get to that," I said.

"Your wish is my command, Jadin," Barriss bowed and smirked at me.

"Just get to work, Barriss" I replied chuckling a little. I got into my seat and put on my communications headset.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Barriss asked smugly.

Then I realized what I was missing. "Warthog," I said to myself. "You're just having fun with this aren't you?"

She nodded and pointed to where Warthog's position on the ridge was. I walked over and up the stairs to get him. I took off his helmet and slapped his face a little bit. "Wake up, _chakaar_," I said to him.

"Wuh?" he shuddered. "What happened?"

"We're going home, stand up," I commanded him.

"No really, what happened?" he asked. "Did I take a bad step?"

I shook my head. "You fainted. Simple as that."

He couldn't believe it. "Don't mention this to my brothers in the gunship field."

"I wouldn't dream of it, _ner vod_," I replied with a smirk. Now I could tell why Barriss was having fun with this. "Come on, let's get to the ship."

He nodded and got up holding his head and helmet. We walked back over to the ARC where her engines were almost all fired up. "Barriss!" I yelled. "Let Warthog take his seat!"

She nodded and went to the back cockpit to operate the rear gun. I took my original seat in the middle. "Power up the engines Warthog," I said through the headset.

"Copy that, Commander," he replied and flicked some switches. The sublights powered up all the way. He engaged the vertical and horizontal repulsors to get us out of the arena before he engaged the sublights and increased them to 100%. We blasted our way out of the arena just as a swarm of Geonosians came in where the ship was. We got into the upper atmosphere in a matter of seconds. We got up to space and the sensors started to go off in alarm.

It turns out there was two Separatist war cruisers headed toward us. They didn't want this information getting to the Republic. They were charging up weapons. "Warthog, we got company," Barriss said.

"I see them," he replied. "I'm going to try plotting a course to Coruscant."

I turned my head around to find the two cruisers. They were gaining on us faster than I had thought. They actually had started blasting there turbo laser batteries at us.

"Barriss," I said to her. "Stay sharp, they're gonna try and cut us off. Warthog, I thought you said this ship was fast."

"Watch your mouth, kid," he replied, almost yelling from the laser's sound. "Or gonna find your sorry ass floating back home. It takes awhile to get the coordinance back from the navicomputer."

"Are you kidding!" I yelled. "They're right there gaining!"

"Traveling through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, _chakaar_," he replied angrily as the ship shook from another blast to our rear. "Without the right calculations we might bust right through a star or bounce to close to a supernova. Bet that'll end your trip real soon wouldn't it?"

Just then, another alarm went off. "What's that flashing?"

Warthog listened. His ten year trained ear was able to figure out what that sound meant. "We're losing the deflector shield," he said grimly. "Hold tight, while I try to make the jump to lightspeed."

The ship stopped for one second then the familiar sight of the dots changing into lines appeared and we were shot into the hyperspace window. We were home free and clear. I was going to see Ahsoka again. I could see her face smiling at me, for at least one…more…time….

**AN: And there you have it: the introduction of Barriss Offee and one of the leads to the Second Battle of Geonosis. Thanks for reading if you got this far. Always ****REVIEW please****!**


	8. The Dream

**AN: This chapter was just a quickie that I pulled up in one day sitting on the couch. Anyways, tell me what you think. As I always say, ****Read and Review****. I really want to know your guy's thoughts.**

We were now light years away from Geonosis. That rocky, godforsaken planet was nowhere near us. Barriss was meditating in her rear seat. Or she was sleeping, I couldn't tell. Warthog was doing system diagnostics to see what else the bugs got into. I was doing nothing but staring into the tunnel.

It was a magnificent sight to behold. It might have been a lot of blue and white, but it was still magnificent. We were still about three hours away from Coruscant, so I decided to catch up on some much needed rest.

However the dream I saw, wasn't what I wanted to see…

I was on Coruscant. At the Jedi Temple to be exact. But this wasn't the Jedi Temple I had been in for a month prior to Felucia and Geonosis. This Temple was in flames.

There were flames all around of the Temple: the spires were clouded in the smoke form the fire. "Jadin!" I heard out of the corner of my ear. "Jadin! Get in!"

I turned around to see Ahsoka, but she was almost as tall as me. Her head tails were longer that they had been the last time I saw her. She also had a different outfit.

She had the same boots but her pant leggings were different; they had holes on the side and they were black. She also had a new top on that looked like a connected version of her first outfit. She had some matching gauntlets and bicep resistors (at least that is what they looked like). Her tunic had a couple openings, one was on her back, the other was right above where here *cough* heart should be.

She looked gorgeous. However the whole burning Temple thing threw it off. There was a ship at the end of the dock that looked like a double seated Jedi Starfighter. And Ahsoka was running towards it. I had to follow her.

I ran up beside her and got into the ship I had the back cockpit what I could read system checks while Ahsoka piloted the ship. I fired up the engines and Ahsoka took no patience lifting off. Just then, I read an alarm on the console in front of me, the engines were failing.

"Ahsoka!" I yelled at her. "Put the ship down, you going to cause an overload!"

"We can't say here!"

"Damn it all, Ahsoka!" I yelled back. "If you do, we won't be going _anywhere_!"

She started to put the ship down when I saw blaster fire come behind us. Ahsoka put the ship down, got out and ignited…_two hilts_! One lightsaber was the one I was used to the other was a greenish yellow blade that was about half the size of her original blade.

She twisted them around and faced the smoke coming from the Temple. Blue blaster fire came through them; tons of bolts came at Ahsoka. She blocked and blocked until I could tell that her arms were tired. But she kept on blocking….I had to help her.

I reached to my belt and grabbed my lightsaber. It ignited blue and I went forward to aid Ahsoka….But I was too late.

I heard a grunt come from her mouth, I felt her pain radiate through the Force….She had been shot in the chest. "Noooo!" I yelled in anger and denial.

Ahsoka fell. Not moving, not speaking…not breathing. I ran over to her side and picked her up in my arms. _This can't be happening_, I thought to myself.

She looked up at me one last time, with her royal blue eyes staring into me. "Run, Jadin," she whispered with blood running down her lips. "Run," she drug on as the blood made her choke a little. My hands were covered in her blood.

"You—you know me," I was crying by now. "I can't do that."

She coughed more and more, "You have to, for me," she said. "I don't want you to—"she almost said but was cut off by more coughing that now got on my robe. "To die…like…me, Ja—din…."

She lied limp in my arms. Her eyes open and blood trickling down her mouth. Anger rose up in me. I dropped her body slowly to the ground. I turned towards the smoke where the blaster fire had come from. I gave myself to the Force, Ahsoka was with me. I pulled my lightsaber into my hand and turned to the silver crystal. I pressed the activator and the one and a half meter blade shot out. I ran towards the smoke, towards the things that killed the only person I had ever cared for.

I ran to kill. The anger turned to hatred: hatred of whatever killed Ahsoka. Hate led to suffering, the suffering led to an escape. The escape was the Force…All the power in the universe was at my disposal. I gave myself to the Force completely, with the power, I could do anything. I felt _everything_ around me, the particles that made up the air. I bended those to my will.

Lightning erupted in the space around me. I heard the screams of Ahsoka's killers, screams of mercy. The smoke clouded my vision. I couldn't see the beings I was killing. I wanted them to never be able to live again. I was more powerful than anything in the universe.

Then, a blaster shot came through the smoke and hit me right in the chest. I fell to the ground almost in slow motion. I hit the ground and felt numerous other shots penetrate my body. I closed my eyes and…vanished from sight.

I woke up in the ARC-170 just coming out of hyperspace. What I didn't know, was that I was screaming.

"Kid!" Warthog yelled. "Stop screaming!"

"Where the hell am I?" I asked him.

"You're in the ARC-170," Barriss replied for Warthog. "I sense that you are confused."

"I guess I just had a bad dream," I replied. "A _very_ bad dream."

"Well wake up," Warthog said. "We're home."

"Yeah," I replied. "Home."

Warthog made his dissent into the atmosphere of what I would now call the closest thing to a home. I hope…hope that what I saw wasn't a vision. My visions almost always come true…

**AN: Like I said, it was a quickie to take up my afternoon. I'll update as soon as I can. ****I would really want you guys to post your thoughts.**** That was my first psychological chapter so I want to know how I did. I can take any criticism. Thanks again for reading.**


	9. I Love You, Ahsoka

**AN: Thanks so much for the reviews. I really like reading them. Anyways, this chapter takes place right before the episode "Landing at Point Rain" which is the first in four episodes describing the Battle of Geonosis. Remember always ****Read and Review****.**

We made our approach to the military hanger where we would land. We wouldn't even need an escort because of the unique ship design has never seen public eyes. Until now that is. We landed in the hanger just as good as we had the first time. Warthog was the reporter for our mission; he reported what we had founded. Barriss and I took a transport back to the Temple. The very Temple I did not ever want to see in flames.

We got off the transport to a welcome party from my master: Anakin, Barriss's master: Luminara Unduli, and…Ahsoka, healthier looking than ever. My heart filled with joy to see her, but I had to keep that joy under control for the sake of our situation at the moment. Barriss and I bowed to our masters as they bowed back to us. "It's good to see you again, Barriss," Luminara said.

"The feeling's mutual," she replied. "I couldn't have said that I would have been here without the help of Jadin and his pilot, Warthog."

"Speaking of that," I interrupted Barriss. "Oh, sorry Barriss, your welcome," I said and bowed to her. She did the same to me.

"Anyways," Anakin said. "We have another mission to go on."

My heart sank. I didn't want to go on another mission right now. All I wanted to do was get some sleep. "Could I at least get a day's rest before we go?"

"Yes, you've been through a lot."

_You don't know the half of it_, I thought to myself. "Wait, one more question. Where are we going?"

"Geonosis," Anakin replied.

"Why didn't we just stay captured then?" I replied angrily.

"Because we recovered valuable intel from Senator Amadala," Anakin replied matching my tone almost. "Senator Clovis has been in league with the Separatists and has made a new droid foundry on Geonosis."

"Okay," I said. "I knew everything except for Senator Clovis and Amadala. I even know the tank they are building."

"So do we," Anakin replied matching my tone. "We just don't know the destructive capability."

"Okay, so you are caught up with just the information of two senators?" I asked.

Anakin shook his head. "We just knew about the droid foundry, not the tank. Warthog filled us in on that."

"Well that _chakaar_ took all the credit didn't he?" I told myself.

"If you mean he told all the information," Anakin replied. "Then yes."

I just then realized how tired I was. "I am going to my cell and sleeping for a day."

Anakin nodded and sent me on my way. "Just be sure to wake your comlink on."

I waved him off and walked back to my cell. I saw a bunch of other Padawans that greeted me with open arms and invitations to sparring tournaments, but I don't think they have been through what I have been through in one mission. I declined them all and went to my room.

I finally got to my room, the blandness galore that I had. I needed to personalize it more…that is if it doesn't go up in flames.

No, no, that was just a dream. It couldn't happen…I couldn't lose Ahsoka. Not in that way at least. Just then I heard a knock on my door. I used the Force to figure out who it was. "Come in," I said.

Ahsoka walked in. Looking as beautiful as ever. I walked over to her and hugged her best as I could. I looked back at her, the vision of her bloody face sought it way into my head. I flinched and closed my eyes.

"What?" Ahsoka asked. "What's wrong?"

I looked back and saw her face right now, no blood what so ever. "Nothing," I replied hugging her again. "I just had a bad dream on the way back from Geonosis. That's all."

She broke my grasp. "What was it about?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I replied.

"You need to tell me things so I can help you," she said. "Don't try to keep your feelings bottled up to me."

I had to come clean. I told her my dream that hopefully wouldn't become true. "Jadin," she said to me. "That will never happen. You just had a bad dream that is all. Things like you loosing me won't happen."

"I hope you're right," I said and yawned. "I am really hungry and tired."

"You want to go eat somewhere in the city?" she asked.

I nodded. "I need to eat _something_."

We took a transport outside the Temple to a random cantina and ate up what we got. We got back to the Temple and watched the sunset on the east side. The sun was bright, but the innovative shades kept the rays from penetrating the Temple. Once the sun set, Ahsoka and I went back to my room.

I laid down on my bed and Ahsoka followed. She and I stared up at the ceiling She then rested her head on my chest, closed her eyes and fell asleep. I pulled her closer to me and kissed her eyes. _Thank the Force that we're together_, I thought to myself. I closed my eyes with her and fell asleep.

Luckily, when I woke up, I didn't remember or think I had any dreams. I didn't want any. Ahsoka was still in my arms. "Morning," I whispered to her.

She sighed and woke up. "Morning," she replied. "Did anyone come in?"

"I would have sensed them," I said. "No, no one did."

"Good," she replied and put her head up next to mine. I rolled over and stared into her eyes. Looking into the royal blue that matched the magnificent oceans of Mon Calamari. They were more beautiful than anyone could have imagined…and I got lost in them. I guess I got too lost in them because I didn't even hear my comlink buzz. "Are you going to get that?" Ahsoka asked still staring into my eyes. I blinked.

"I guess," I replied and reached over for my wrist comm. and answered it.

"Jadin, I want you to get Ahsoka," Anakin's voice came from the speaker. "Her comlink is turned off."

I looked over at Ahsoka. "Yeah sure, I'll find her."

"Once you do," he added. "Come to the _Resolute's _hanger, we're leaving Coruscant."

"You got it. I'm on my way," I replied and shut off the connection. I turned to Ahsoka. "You heard him, we gotta go."

Ahsoka was still lying on the bed. She rolled back over and sighed. "Why do we only get one night together?"

I shrugged. "That's more time that we have ever gotten since we have had these feelings for each other."

"But still," she replied. "Every time we go off world, we risk not returning."

"Every time we stay here," I retorted. "We avoid the experience in order to become better Jedi."

She nodded and got up. She grabbed her lightsaber and her comlink. She attached her utility belt back on her waist with some help from me. Once I attached her utility belt back on, I moved my hands from her hips up to her stomach. I let her body rest against mine; I held her and kissed her neck. She lowered her neck and kissed me on the lips. "I love you, Ahsoka," I said. Just as we were about to go into a deep kiss, my comlink rang.

"Jadin," Anakin said. "Did you find Ahsoka?"

I broke the kiss. I was startled and I shuddered. "Ah—um, yea—yes I did."

"Then get over here," he commanded. "All of us are here except for you two."

"We're on our way," I said and I was about to cut the communication off. "For real this time."

I turned off my comlink. "Come on," I told her.

We made our way to the transports that took us to the hanger. _Put the lid on your feelings_, I told Ahsoka.

She nodded at me the moment the transport's doors opened and the image of the massive Jedi Cruiser, the _Resolute_.

Ahsoka and I walked over to the Jedi Master's that were stationed outside the ships massive docking ramp. It seems that whenever I see the Jedi Generals: Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ki-Adi Mundi, and Luminara (in hologram form); they are always surrounding a hologram projector. I had yet to see them in action. Maybe my mine would be changed when we got to Geonosis.

"Masters," I said and bowed when I got to the projector.

"Jadin, Ahsoka," Obi-Wan said. "You're just in time for the briefing."

"I thought we were late?" I said.

"Emphasis on _were_," Anakin retorted.

"Okay then," Ahsoka said. "What were we _going_ to miss then?"

"The plans for this invasion," Mundi answered.

"Gather around, young ones," Luminara instructed.

We walked towards the projector and listened to what they had to say. "We are planning a full scale invasion of the entire planet," Obi-Wan started. "With the intelligence provided from Senator Amadala, we were able to locate the droid foundry on the planet."

Anakin started next. "We don't know what the tank that Warthog described looks like, but we don't know its destructive capabilities. Capitan Rex was able to gather preliminary scans as of yesterday that a full-scale invasion would be necessary."

Luminara spoke next. "We have the power of five Jedi Cruisers and ten _Acclamator_-class ships. We will have to break the blockade that is surrounding the planet."

"Once we do that, we can take the droid foundry by force," Mundi finished. "The full plan will be constructed once we come with in visual range of Geonosis."

We all nodded and left to the _Resolute_. Anakin took us to the bridge where he told us something else. "We won't be going to Geonosis right away."

"What do you mean?"Ahsoka asked.

"There has been a Separatist attack at Dorin," he replied. "Master Plo Koon's home planet. He has asked the other Jedi that were at the briefing before they left to the hanger but they all said that the invasion of Geonosis was more important. We are going to the aid of the Kel-Dors."

"Okay," I replied nodding. "What are we going to tell the other master's?"

"We're just going to tell them the truth once we get back from Dorin."

"I take it Master Plo is coming too?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yes, we will meet us up at Dorin in his fighter. He has already gotten a head start."

"I guess we better beat him then, huh?" I said smirking a little.

"I agree," Anakin said. "Get on the ship; we lift off in 30 standard minutes."

I gestured by hand towards the entrance of the ship to Ahsoka. "Lady's first."

She shook her head and smiled and walked in front of me. Once 30 minutes passed, the massive _Resolute _powered up its repulsors and lifted up and out of the atmosphere. Another ten minutes passed before we were out of the way and were about to launch into hyperspace. Once we did, the stars tuned to lines and we were only an hour away from Dorin.

I went to the bridge to talk to my master. "Master?" I asked hoping I wasn't interrupting anything.

He got up and told the clone trooper he was talking to something and walked over to me. "Yes, Jadin?"

It took me awhile to find the right words. "Uh, master, in spite of the recent events of Geonosis, I wanted to learn how to fly a Starfighter."

Anakin nodded, I don't think he could blame me. Most Jedi were experienced pilots, even Ahsoka. I wanted to become part of that. "Okay, I will teach you in the simulator once we get back from Geonosis."

I was going to become a pilot and was going to be trained by the greatest of them all. But that would have to wait since we were now arriving at Dorin…the battle was about to start.

**AN: So, that was chapter 9. I had a hard time naming this chapter but I think "I Love You, Ahsoka" is good enough. I'll update as soon as possible. Thanks for reading ****Review Please!**


	10. Landing at Point Rain

**AN: Thanks for the input on where this story stands. Advice makes these stories better and better. That is why I have you guys review: It makes stories better. Anyways, this chapter is a prequel to before the Second Battle of Geonosis. It will merge into the Clone Wars episode "Landing at Point Rain". Like all other chapter of this story, Thanks for reading and review at the end.**

The battle of Dorin can be said to have been an eventful battle. Once we dropped out of hyperspace, there were two black holes that were keeping the Separatist ships from getting to Dorin. Anakin sent the ships to attack from above and…upside down? Yup, the inertial dampers would keep us up right as if we were on a planet but able to remain upside down and fire at the Separatist ships with our main turbo batteries. Once we took out one ship, we learned that General Grievous himself was overseeing the capture of Dorin.

Anakin, Ahsoka and I went to the hanger to get our squadrons mobilized and in order to take out the escorts and capture Grievous. I stayed on the ship with Admiral Yularen seeing the battle erupt before my eyes. Anakin said Ahsoka did the same thing once. Like me, she's a fast learner. I think I will be able to learn just as fast.

Once the escorts were destroyed, Grievous's ship retreated into hyperspace. Master Plo thanked us for our help and stayed on Dorin to aid in any casualties on the planet. The _Resolute_ launched back into hyperspace on our way back to meet up with the rest of the fleet at Geonosis.

Ahsoka and I met in our bunks.

"Keep a sharp head out there," I told her.

"Don't get shot," she replied. "I want to be able to see you alive again."

We hugged and left for the hanger. Our link was still there, but it could be sensed by very powerful masters such as Yoda. The physical link stayed, but the emotional and mental link was severed until we could be together again.

We got there and took a shuttle to the head of the fleet. We got in the hanger and headed straight to the bridge. Obi-Wan might be wondering where we have been. Once we got on the bridge, we saw Ki-Adi Mundi and Obi-Wan talking to each other. We walked up behind them.

"The same can be said to their loyalty to Count Dooku," Obi-Wan said.

"A fact that is often overlooked," Mundi replied.

Obi-Wan heard our approach and spoke to us in an angry tone. "You're late!"

"Sorry, Master," Anakin replied. "Ahsoka, Jadin, and I were routing the Sepies near Dorin."

Ahsoka spoke up this time with a smile of pride on her face. "My squadron alone had 55 kills."

"Yeah," Anakin retorted. "But mine had 76."

"Showoff," she replied rolling her eyes and turning towards the viewport.

"Well I'm glad you three are enjoying yourselves," Obi-Wan interrupted.

"Hey, it's just a little friendly competition, Master," Anakin replied smiling. "Nothing to worry about."

"What I worry about is how this war seems to be drawing out," he said. "With no end in sight."

Mundi spoke this time. "Which is why our invasion of Geonosis meets with success."

"Agreed," Anakin replied. "Jadin, go with Ahsoka. Contact the Outer Rim command. Tell them we are ready for our briefing."

"They are already waiting for us," Ahsoka replied.

"Damn, that was fast," I said as we walked over to the holoprojector. Yoda, Chancellor Palpatine, and Mace Windu were standing on the large holoprojector. Luminara was standing next to the generals that were on the ship. Obi-Wan started the report.

"Our ships are in position," he started. "And we are ready to begin our campaign against the Geonosians."

"And what about Poggle?" Windu asked. _Poggle_? I asked Ahsoka though our personal connection.

_He is the leader of the Geonosians and the representative of Geonosis in the Confederacy_, she replied. "Any report on his location?" Windu finished.

Obi-Wan took the answerer. "Seems he's hold up at the primary droid foundry here," he said pointing to the hologram that showed up below the master's feet. It was a flat layout of the droid foundry, the same one that Warthog and I saw on our recon. Except this one had a red bubble around it.

"The factory is protected by a shield generator," Kenobi started. "Anakin, Ki-Adi and I shall attempt a three prong attack; through their defense lines to a staging area just short of the shield. Once we've landed, we shall knock out the shield generator. That is our primary target."

Obi-Wan was using the holoprojector as a reference to his plan. Certain lines were green to specify us and they were going to the

"Isn't it risky?" Palpatine said conversing with the hologram of Yoda. "Committing three generals to one area of the attack. If something went wrong we could be dealt a serious blow."

"To insure, that rise again, Geonosis does not. Capture Poggle, we must," Master Yoda replied to Palpatine.

"Of course," Palpatine nodded. "As always I should leave the strategy to you, master Jedi."

"Our thanks, Chancellor," Obi-Wan relied with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"May the Force be with you," Windu said as the hologram died out. Three clones walked out of the door leading to the bridge and stood in front of the holoprojector.

"Good," Obi-Wan said. "Cody, these are the coordinance for the rendezvous."

"Yes sir," the clone with the white and yellow armor said. He was right next to Rex and another troop whose name I didn't know. "When we hit the ground we'll make a perimeter there. Getting past their defenses _here_ will be the trick," he said as a dotted line that went across the projection of the foundry. "General Mundi will cross the lines from the north. We will make our assault through the middle. General Skywalker will make his attack on the defensive lines from the south. And we'll meet at the rendezvous point at 0700 exactly."

Cody finished and Mundi spoke up. "If we meet with strong resistance and are forced down away from the landing zone, hold out until we join our forces before we attack the shield generator."

"There front lines are fortified enough to stop a capital ship from entering the atmosphere," I said. I could tell from the reading the scans captured by Rex just a day before. It showed orbital cannons and turrets that fire off ten laser shots a second. Not to mention the tanks, and eventual Geonosian warriors that would be attacking on fighters and speeders. "I mean look at that giant wall with all the gun emplacements," I said pointing to a red figure that was in the middle a cannon. "That can't be as simple as turning on a lightsaber."

"Don't worry," Anakin told me. "We won't be going anywhere near that."

"Come now," Obi-Wan said. "What happened to all the enthusiasm I saw earlier?"

"Don't worry about us," Anakin replied. "You just make sure you get yourself to that landing zone in one piece.

"Yes," Obi-Wan retorted. "I shall be waiting for you when you finally arrive."

Luminara broke up the conversation. "Gentlemen, if you are quite finished, we have a battle to begin."

"Quite right," Obi-Wan replied walking out of the conversation. Luminara's hologram bowed to us and disappeared. "Cody, prep the gunships. I'll meet you in the hanger."

"Yes, sir," Cody replied and walked out towards the hanger.

I was about to walk out to get my armor on until Anakin stopped me. "Jadin," he said. "I want you to meet up with Obi-Wan for this part of the battle."

"Why is that, Master?" I asked.

"I want you to learn from one of the best Jedi in the order," he answered. "He trained me, so I want you to learn from him."

I nodded. "I won't disappoint you, Master Skywalker."

"I don't care about that," he said shoving my saying away. "I don't care if you disappoint me, no body's is perfect. Not even the Jedi."

I nodded. "That's why Ahsoka got scolded for Felucia, right? She thought she could beat the droids but you stopped her because she wasn't experience enough to see that the droids weren't retreating but regrouping right?"

"No one is perfect," he replied. "Ahsoka learned that. Now, I want you to learn from Obi-Wan."

"I'll will," I said as I bowed and went to the armory. My tunic and pants were black with gray linings and I did not ware a robe. I got my gauntlets and my DC-15 sidearm blaster (that is currently in use by the Special Forces). I picked up black utility belt and put the blaster in there. I walked out and headed to the hanger.

Once I got to the hanger, the sight was astounding. Instead of the _Torrent_-class fighters being in the hanger, there was a bunch Y-Wings. They were colored to be, instead of yellow, they were colored to be white and Geonosian surface colored. I thought that it wouldn't make a difference if they got shot down. But who am I to judge, when I design the next ship, I'll decide the color. The Y-Wings were being prepped and were launched into the atmosphere. I went to the gunship sections to find Master Kenobi talking with Commander Cody. I ran over to join them.

"—here when this war started?" Obi-Wan asked when I walked up beside him.

"No, sir," Cody replied. "I was not involved in the first assault on Geonosis."

"Well you didn't miss much," Kenobi replied. "Last time I was chained to a pole and attacked by several humongous monsters."

"That sounds—" Cody started.

"Entertaining?" I finished for him. They both stared at me but Obi-Wan was the first to speak up.

"It was," he said smiling. "For the Geonosians."

I stepped onto the gunship as the doors shut behind me. We launched only a few seconds later through the hanger doors and into the rough atmosphere of Geonosis. We were followed by numerous other gunships and AT-TEs being carried by specialized gunships. We were soon shot upon by the sonic turrets and orbital strike mini cannons. The gunship shook drastically from the shockwaves caused by the explosions. I heard other gunships get shot down, around us from the flank. The beam cannons that were attached to the sides where firing at the fighters that had joined the fray to take down any other gunships. They attacked from above going faster than most fighters that we had.

The Y-Wings were making their bomb runs at the ground placements and were doing a good job of it. I could feel the gunship rock less from the decrease in explosions. A few seconds later, we got a distress call from Anakin's gunship. "We're down, repeat down! Location five, se—" the communication was cut short. I could only fear the worst since Ahsoka was on that ship, I couldn't let my feelings be sensed by Obi-Wan.

"I just lost contact with Skywalker's team," the communication's clone said. I couldn't contact Ahsoka with the fear of revealing too much to the other Jedi.

"General," the pilot said. "Cody has begun to put the AT-TEs on the ground."

Obi-Wan's comlink started to bleep; he pressed the speaker button and listened to the message. "_General Kenobi, don't land. The zone is hot_!"

Another gunship blew up beside us. "But there is nowhere else to go!" Obi-Wan replied. The fighters that had shot down the other gunship were now focusing their fire on us. After a couple of misses, our left wing was hit and was on fire. We couldn't sustain level flight. "We're hit!" Obi-Wan yelled. "We're going down!"

The right wing was hit again and the pilot was unable to pull up as the controls were smoking and too hot to touch. "Brace yourselves!" Obi-Wan yelled. The gunship descended faster and faster until we hit the ground. I was knocked off of my feet and hit my head on the guard rail. The ship skidded and rolled over on its side. Once the ship stopped skidding, the smell of smoke and burnt steel filled my nostrils. I could feel blood trickling down from my head down to my face. I couldn't see a thing, only grieve that Ahsoka wouldn't feel my pain. I closed my eyes and passed out.

I woke up to Obi-Wan nudging me awake. I could feel the dried blood stuck on both sides in smooth stream lines of my face. I opened my mouth and felt the blood crackle and break off of my cheeks. "What happened?" I asked Obi-Wan groggily.

"We're still in the—" Obi-Wan grunted from the injury he received. "Gunship…"

The gunship was still on its side. The battle was still going on outside. Where we were, I didn't know. "Are we the only survivors?" I asked.

He shook his head and pointed to clone that was moving but only barely. Obi-Wan, I could tell, was weak from the crash and had scratches on the right side of his face. I was too weak myself to get up and help out in anyway, but Obi-Wan himself soon collapsed next to me holding his abdomen. _Some learning experienced_, I thought to myself. I reached up to my scalp line where I felt the most pain. I touched the palm of my hand and felt how bad I was cut. I lifted my hand back up and examined the blood stain on my hand.

The blood line just over half the size of my palm. I would have to take a rest once we were back in friendly. I rested my head back on the durasteel guard rail. Obi-Wan's comlink was busted so we couldn't call for help. I tried to close my eyes, but I couldn't with the sounds of war going on. I realized how much of a hell this could have been.

You know how some people say that the first trip to a place is always the worst? This blew that thought out of the water like an orbital strike on Mon Calamari's oceans. I waited for any sign that the fire fight was going to die down: I couldn't find any. The sound only got louder and louder before I could hear…_voices_?

"Oh this isn't the fun part," one voice said. "Getting back to the square is the fun part."

I opened my eyes and saw the doors of the gunship open. The brightness of the Geonosian sun sprouted through my eyes. open to reveal two clone troopers. Obi-Wan spoke up. "Waxer, Boil. Am I glad to see you. Jadin, Trapper and I are the only ones still alive."

"Good to see you, sir," Boil replied picking Obi-Wan and Trapper up. The one named Waxer was picking me up. "Commander Cody's established a square just beyond this position. The bugs are on the move and trying to surround us as we speak, sir."

We had to pace as fast as we can to avoid any of the artillery blasts coming from the left and right. The sound was wringing in my ears. Foot by foot, more and more shells were blowing up around us. I'm surprised that I didn't go deaf from the explosions or got another injury from the shrapnel. We walked behind other clones that provided cover fire for us. The sounds of Geonosians on their speeders, firing there sonic blasters at the AT-TEs got closer and closer.

"Take it down!" one of the clones shouted. "Take it down!"

We finally got under the first AT-TE of the square and we could finally rest, knowing that we had made it to friendly hands.

Commander Cody came up to greet us. "Are you injured, General?" he asked.

"No," Obi-Wan replied grunting._ At least he doesn't lie about it being not serious _I thought to myself. "Nothing to serious," he said. "What's the situation here?"

Cody sighed as Waxer and Boil put Obi-Wan and I down to rest on some crates in the center of the square. "We got no air cover, two generals beyond our position and a mess of bugs surrounding us. The enemy was more than prepared for our attack, sir….They knew our every move."

A clone medic came up with a bacta injection and stuck it in both of our necks. I could feel the healer coursing through my veins, tending to the wound on my head. I was still weak from the crash and it would take a while for the bacta to heal any minor internal injuries. Thank the Force that I had a minor head injury and not so much internal, I would have to be put out of the battle and spend the rest of the time in a bacta tank.

"Well," I said. "I'm sure Anakin and Master Mundi will make it to our position."

"Yes," Obi-Wan added. "I guess we just have to make sure we are still here when they arrive."

"Understood, sir," Cody replied. "I'll try to call in some air support."

I felt like I could walk again, at least thought. I got up slowly using the crates as support. I stood up with my back strait and firm. My legs didn't even give out! I walked over to Cody to ask him what I could do to help. "Nothing at the moment, sir," he replied as he pressed an encryption key on his comlink. "Admiral, sir," he started. "We are at the landing zone, but are surrounded by the enemy. We're requesting air support."

The admiral replied in his think Coruscanti accent. "Negative, Commander," he replied. "We are unable to provide any air support for you at this time."

"I understand that sir," Cody said annoyed. "But we have two generals on the ground beyond our position."

"This is a planetary wide invasion, Capitan" the admiral replied. "If any forces are reverted to your position, it might sacrifice other areas of the champagne."

"Understood, sir," Cody replied. "Cody out."

"I'll go tell General Kenobi," I started to walk back but Cody grabbed my shoulder.

"No, sir," he replied. "I need you to command the front."

I turned my head around slowly. I was shocked. Here was a seasoned commander that was asking a non experienced Jedi? It just doesn't seem right to me. "Are you sure?" I asked. "I don't think I'm qualified to do something like this?"

Cody shook his head. "These men look up to the Jedi. With General Kenobi down, we could be dealing with bad morality."

"I thought they were bred for battle." I replied with a hint of fear in my voice. "That means they don't care about what conditions they are under…right?"

"We still are people on the inside," Cody replied as if he was looking directly through me. "We may seem like all powerful soldiers with not a fear in the galaxy, but underneath. The drive to survive remains. _That _is what separates us from the droids, Jadin. Not fire power or technology: but the drive to live and see another day."

I understand why Anakin had sent me with Obi-Wan. He wanted me to learn from the clones themselves. By know, I thought the clones were soldiers that were just there when you needed something that no one else would volunteer for. If you needed a suicide mission, I thought, send a clone. Hey, they are expendable, right. I was proved wrong today by Commander Cody.

"Plus," Cody continued. "I know that you are a Mandalorian. These men could use one of us on our side."

I nodded and grabbed my lightsaber from my belt. I turned toward the square's outer rim and walked towards the troops that were defending the AT-TEs and the crashed gunships. They were all firing their blasters at full force, giving no quarter to the Geonosians. The enemy was doing just the same. Numerous of the Geonosian's AATs were taking heavy losses, but kept coming and coming with no end in sight. I went in front of the farthest clones that were firing just as hard as all the others, maybe even harder.

I ignited my lightsaber into the full silver blade. "Keep fighting!" I commanded pointing my saber in the direction of the Geonosian armies. "We can't let them break through!"

Not a moment later and a Geonosian sonic blaster bolt shot past my ear. It was ringing and was hurting like hell, but I did not budge. I stood resolute and stern as if a piece of steel was attached to the ground and tied to my body. I suddenly pulled up my lightsaber and the silver blade blocked a high powered bolt from a tank back into its heavy armor, piercing it and lighting it up in flames.

I blocked numerous shot as other clones fought around me. They looked like the mightiest of warriors ever to live. Then again, what would you expect from an army full of Mandalorians? I searched to the feelings from one clone to another and could tell why the clones were different. One could be wondering if they were almost out of ammunition. Another could be thinking about what was for dinner tonight. The clones were not clones on the inside, but individual people all on their own.

The bugs got closer and closer on their speeders. I even saw Obi-Wan try to join the fight. He got up breathing heavily, grabbing his lightsaber. A moment later I heard a low hum…the hum of a sublight engine.

"Reinforcements!" a clone yelled from the top of an AT-TE. I turned around to see what he was pointing to. It a squadron of Y-Wings. "Reinforcements have arrived!" he tried to yell before he was cut off by the hum of the Y-Wings making their bombing runs on the tanks and other ground positions. I could see the pink proton bombs that were being dropped around everything that was around the square. The explosions were almost like fireworks. The clones held up there blasters and celebrated. "Yahoo!" I heard them all cry. They didn't let up from fighting though; they were all shouting orders to each other

"Go, go, go!" some of them yelled. "Move it, move it!" more yelled. "To the front!" one yelled. I turned around to find where Master Kenobi was. He was sitting on the ground in the same place where Boil had set him down.

I went to his side. Not celebrating with the clones. "Are you going to be alright, Master?" I asked.

Obi-Wan grunted. "I'll be alright after a night in a bacta tank," he said. "You look like you've handled yourself well." 

"Yeah," I replied. "I didn't think I had it in me. The whole Jedi Commander stuff."

"None of the Jedi did when this war came along," Obi-Wan explained grunting here and there. "We figured that in order to win this war, we have to be more that peace keepers. We had to be leaders."

"I understand," I replied looking down remembering my father. "I think that I have war written in my blood. The drive to win…it scares me."

"To win a battle doesn't make you a better Jedi," Obi-Wan said but this time he didn't grunt. "Power doesn't give you strength, only a bigger ego. That, Jadin, is sometimes a Jedi's downfall. You, being a Mandalorian gives you that flaw. You have to decide how to use that flaw: To your advantage, or to your downfall."

"Thank you, Master." I replied. "I think I know what to do with my powers at the moment."

Just then, I felt a familiar presence that I knew quite well. _Ahsoka_, I thought to myself. I turned around to find Ki-Adi, Anakin and Ahsoka, lightsabers ignited with troop reinforcements. Help had come.

"Master Kenobi, Jadin," Ahsoka said turning off her saber. Master Mundi and Anakin followed.

"Well what happened to you?" Anakin said joking around.

"I guess we would ask the same question to you," Obi-Wan replied. "At least we held out for you when you finally got here."

Anakin nodded. "But I called in the airstrike which saved you from being overrun," he replied.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "You're impossible," he retorted with a little grunt. "Cody, bring me the holoprojector and the battle plans for the next attack."

"Yes, sir," Cody replied reaching into his belt and putting a data chip into the holoprojector. The familiar sight of the shielded factory took shape as Obi-Wan started to explain the next plan.

"Our combined forces should be enough to destroy the shield generator," he started still sitting on the crate. "Anakin, you'll need to take a small squad through the shield as close as you can get to their gun emplacements. From there, you'll be able to temporarily jam the guns scanners to where they are unable to target the incoming tanks. Once the tanks knock out the shield, Master Mundi and I can bring the rest of the troops in with the gunships."

"Consider it done, master." Anakin replied. "Jadin, Ahsoka and I will go."

I turned to Rex. "Mobilize the tanks, Rex," I ordered.

Anakin looked surprised at what I had just done. I guess I had learned a lot from being with Obi-Wan. "Yes, sir," Rex said without hesitation as he ran to the artillery commander.

"Ahsoka and I'll go find some troops that are willing to go," I said. I ran to numerous groups of troops that were willing to cooperate. I had a total of 12 troops including two demolitions experts and a communications tech. The tanks by now had already started to move towards the shield.

After about an hour, we reached the shields. The tanks were right behind us out of firing range of the other cannons. The twelve of our troops were anxious and awaiting the orders to attack. Actually, even we, the Jedi, were anxious. A few minutes later, we got the order. "Begin the attack," the communications clone said. Anakin and I turned on our lightsabers, the ocean blue blades shinning in all their glory. We turned out of the rock formation and sprinted towards the shield.

Immediately after we penetrated the shield, we were under fire from turrets and Geonosians alike. The first sentry turrets had took out the clones in the back. We didn't stop running; we had to get to cover as fast as we could before we could lose any more troops. I was blocking the bolts that were coming from the front and side. I was getting more tired by the second. I dug deep and used the Force to supply myself with a new reservoir of energy.

Two more clones were brought up by a few Geonosians and taken away. The clones were blasting at anything that moved in the rocks. When we got closer to the shield, the cannons and started firing on us. There blasts sent shockwaves through my body and almost knocked me over. We ran a few more paces before we got to a narrow bridge. We crossed it and could see the generator.

I was blocking laser blast more than ever, faster than ever. Anakin, Ahsoka and I had crouched under a rock. We could rest for a brief time before we could get on with the plan. Anakin looked up to see what we were up against.

I glanced up a little to and saw what I didn't want to see. There were five orbital strike cannons that were aimed at us, fifteen sonic turrets and numerous Geonosians. "Let's jam there scanners!" Anakin shouted to Ahsoka and I. "Droid Poppers now!"

Ahsoka gave me an EMP grenade that was armed and ready. We threw our grenades and, with the help of the Force, found there marks. A second later, the EMP blast was sent to the orbital cannons and they suddenly stopped firing at us. "Looks like it's working," Ahsoka said glancing over her shoulder.

"It won't last long," Anakin replied.

"Rex!" I said into my comlink. "Bring in the tanks."

"Yes, sir," I heard him reply. I heard a faint sound from the tanks firing their main weapons at the generator and its emplacements. I looked over the rock to see that the cannons and reengaged there scanners, but too late. The tanks had destroyed all of them and had begun firing on the generator itself. Soon after a couple of hits, the top rock spear had fallen off and crumpled into the dishes that were sending out the shield. The fall had destroyed all the other turrets and Geonosians that were standing by the generator. The shield had receded and the three gunships had begun there approach with guns ablaze. They were making their landing quickly to send out the Ki-Adi and the clone reinforcements. The surviving Geonosians had surrounded us and were firing there blasters.

Ki-Adi had brought the reinforcements and was able to make the bugs surrender at gunpoint. The battle was officially over. We had begun bringing medical teams and other reinforcements from other captured parts of the planet to our positions to create another plan. Obi-Wan wouldn't be a part of it since he was to spend the next day in the bacta tank.

Anakin brought Obi-Wan into the evac gunship with Master Mundi and a few other clones. Ahsoka ran up to meet Anakin. "So, Master," she said with a hint of a contest coming on. "What was your total?"

"Damn it" I said disappointed. "I knew I forgot something."

Anakin chuckled with obi wan bracing himself on him. "Not now, Ahsoka," he replied.

"Come on, are you afraid you lost this time?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"Fine," he said. "Fifty-five. That's my count. And you?"

Ahsoka stopped short of the gunship. "Sixty," she said with the smile on her face once again. "Looks like I won," she said proud of her self. _Next time_, I said to Ahsoka. _You're going to have to watch your back_.

"Yeah," Anakin said getting on the gunship. "But I called in the airstrike. Tie."

"Obi-Wan was right," I said. "You're impossible."

"I will also never understand how you can simplify these battles into some kind of game." Obi-Wan said.

"Well," Anakin said to the Masters on the gunship. "Take care of yourselves. I would like to see you both here by the time I've destroyed the main factory."

"We shall do our best," Obi-Wan said bracing himself on Ki-Adi's shoulder now.

"Sixty-five, Skywalker" Ki-Adi said with a smile on his face just like Ahsoka's.

"Um, sorry?" Anakin replied with confusion.

"My total, sixty-five," Master Mundi elaborated. "So what do I win?"

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan for any hint of what to give Master Mundi. I, myself didn't even know what he would give the master.

Anakin finally spoke up and bowed. "My everlasting respect, Master Mundi."

_Damn_ I thought to myself. "Oh," he said almost as if he was expecting something more.

"That is a gift Anakin rarely bestows," Obi-Wan said. "I assure you."

The gunship's engines started to warm up as the doors closed and the gunship hummed to the nearest medical ship. Anakin walked back to Ahsoka and I. Rex had just come up behind us and saluted Anakin. "Let's take this factory down," he said and walked to the base camp just outside the factory. We walked towards the factory; which looked a hell of a lot bigger in person. I had no idea how we were going to take it down. I knew we could though. After what I had just been through, I believed that we could face anything the Geonosians threw at us. _Go ahead Geonosis_, I thought to myself. _You treated my nice my first trip, I know_. _But now, I can take whatever you got_. _So go ahead_, _I can take it_.

Man, I wish I had heard the expression 'Don't get cocky, kid' right then and there. Because I would sure consider that expression later…

**AN: Whew! I'm finally done with this chapter. It took me about a week to do this chapter. I guess I just haven't had the time to do so. I guess people have already gotten when this chapter takes place and what would be coming up next. Anyways, at the beginning, I have said that the recommendations can be good for the story. I tried to use those recommendations for making this chapter more interesting and not as fast. Thanks for Reading. ****Please Review and Recommend ****(Haha a new R&R for me)**


	11. Weapons Factory

**AN: This chapter was hard to write but funner than hell to also! It's not that it was difficult; it's that I didn't have the time. Like I said, I had a lot of fun putting Jadin into here. And finally I have gotten it done. I want your guys to give me feedback on how good (or bad) I did. As always ****Read and Review!**

I guess some spacers talking about going to one planet once hating it then the second it's a lot better. This was the opposite. I had become much…_acquainted _with Geonosis by the time the skirmish was over. I had made up my mind…I'm never ever, coming to this planet again.

It had been about an hour since we made our landing and destroyed the shield surrounding the droid factory. We were about to begin our final assault on the factory itself and capture Poggle the Lesser. Why they call the lead Geonosian the 'Lesser' I would soon know why. But the factory wasn't even putting out a fight. It was calm before the storm looking back at it.

I was on the gunship on the way from the _Kamino_ which was an _Acclamator_-class starship to the staging point where we set up a temporary base for the forward assault. I was on the ship because I was ordered to check up on Obi-Wan for Anakin. He was making a full recovery just as Master Mundi had gotten. I also wanted to thank Master Kenobi for explaining the reason behind this war to me. The part I play in the Clone War has gotten a lot more important.

I traveled back with the troops that had just been brought from other captured areas of the planet. They each had different feelings about the masters. Some thought it would be good to serve with a more…unorthodox Jedi so to say. Others wanted nothing to do with Geonosis. I couldn't blame them either.

Geonosis sucks and I will keep on saying it until I die. Anyways, the gunship pilot let us off at the landing zone as the troops and I went to where Anakin and Ahsoka were waiting with a holoprojector up and running. I walked up to Anakin's that was opposite of Ahsoka. Some of the clones took off their helmets, kneeled and gathered around. "Okay troops, listen up!" Anakin said. "We are expecting reinforcements from General Luminara Unduli; which means we could be having heavy resistance. Commander Tano has devised a plan for the forward assault on the factory."

Anakin stepped back and let Ahsoka start to talk. She turned on the holoprojector to a layout similar to the one Obi-Wan was using for the assault on the shield. This one was developed into two parts and was connected by a strand that looked like a bridge. "This bridge is our first waypoint," she started pointing to the edge of the bridge. "Focus your fire on the gun emplacements here," she pointed to a spot and it blipped red. "And here," she pointed to another red blip. "Because it only—"she started but was interrupted by Anakin.

"Because it's only after we neutralize the guns that we can push for the factory," he said stepping forward. Ahsoka was mad I could tell, her face is a normal orange tint as opposed to my tanned skin (which was browner being on Geonosis), turned a darker orange that wasn't from the Geonosian sun. _Why did you have to do that?_ I thought almost saying it aloud.

"I was—" Ahsoka tried to say but cut herself off and looked away from her master. "Yes, we can push for the factory."

The two clones in front looked at each other. _Look back up here_, now, I said to the clones through the Force. They back at me and I gestured to Ahsoka as they looked back at her. She continued. "Expect stiff resistance from—" she was interrupted again, but this time, she was pushed out of the way. She was getting annoyed.

"And don't forget to top off your energy cells and ration packs," Anakin said pushing Ahsoka out of the way almost knocking her over. I was getting upset at Anakin myself actually. "Once we leave, there will be no resupply. Anything else Ahsoka?"

"No," she said delicately. "I think you've pretty much covered everything. In _my _briefing."

"Very well," he said. _Really, Anakin,_ I thought. _I'm surprised even you did that_. "Squad dismissed."

The troops got up, nodded, and walked down the rock face. Anakin started talking. "Okay, what's next?" he asked and walked away.

"You know master," Ahsoka said. "My briefings might go better if you didn't interrupt me every time—"

"I wasn't interrupting," he started. _I think I would call that interrupting_. "I was trying to help you."

_If that was helping then I'm a Separatist spy_. "Which I would appreciate, if you didn't interrupt me to do it. I just think you don't trust me to give the briefing."

"I agree," I put in. "You interrupted when you would normally think that she would choke. But she handled herself quite well. How do you think the troops look up to bickering Jedi?"

They both looked at me then continued their argument. "It's not about trust; it's about getting the job done right."

"Ahg!" Ahsoka sounded. "So you _don't _trust me to get the job done right. I knew it!"

Anakin sighed. "Snips I never sai—", this time Anakin got cut off.

"No, it's okay," Ahsoka said. "I understand. I'm the Padawan, you're the master."

Anakin looked at me for any help. "I agree with Ahsoka, Master. She _was_ doing just fine."

He shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder what I got myself into when I got two apprentices."

"You got a Togruta and a Mandalorian," I said. "One's of a carnivorous species and the other is from a Warrior's clan descendant."

"Thank you for clearing that up for me, Jadin," Anakin replied but his voice was almost cut off by the hum of gunships overhead. There were three AT-TE carriers and numerous troop carriers. They all landed at the base of the rock were the briefing took place.

The lead gunship opened its doors and sent out two figures. They were both of the same species, and I recognized one instantly. It was Barriss Offee and her master. They were talking with each other so I assumed that they knew what mine field they were walking into. Anakin and Ahsoka were still arguing.

I walked over to welcome the both of them. But the argument that was taking place had blown that idea out of the water. "Well if you don't trust me! Then maybe you should send me back," Ahsoka yelled turning around not to face Anakin.

"Oh, don't tempt me, Snips," he said.

"Shut up!" I yelled at them both. "If you could stop arguing for a minute you could see that we have guests."

Luminara and Barriss walked up to us. "Thank you, Padawan Jadin," Luminara said to me. I bowed in return. "If you two are both quite finished with your discussion, remember we have a factory to destroy," she told Anakin and Ahsoka. "Well, Barriss," Luminara told her apprentice. "Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

Barriss looked at both Ahsoka and I. "Padawan learners, Barriss Offee at your services," she said to us and curtsied. Anakin looked at the both of us, almost gesturing to do the same thing. Ahsoka gave him a weird look. Ahsoka let out her hand and pulled Barriss up. "Glad to meet you, I'm Ahsoka."

She looked at me. "No need for formal introduction on this part. It's good to see you again, Jadin," she said to me and nodded her head.

"Likewise, Barriss," I replied nodding my head back.

"It's good to see you two again," Anakin said.

"I wish it were under more peaceful circumstances," Luminara replied. "Shall we get up to date?"

Anakin gestured to allow Barriss and Luminara to the holoprojector. Luminara put in her own data chip into the projector to reveal the same image that was on there before, but with a lower level. I didn't know who would give the plan out given the nature of the argument that had just happened. But Anakin gave the plan out. Ahsoka just stayed quiet but I could tell she was steamed.

After we finished, Luminara put in her word on the plan. "A frontal assault is risky. Our losses will be high."

"Not as high as they'll be when that factory comes online," Anakin replied.

"Indeed," Luminara agreed. "But there is an alternative," Luminara gestured around the projection and a new image formed. It had the same layout, but there was what looked like roots coming from the factory's base. "Every Geonosian building has a series of catacombs beneath it that run deep underground."

"I am familiar with the ones at the arena," I said. "They are as deep and confusing as they look on the projection."

Barriss nodded and started talking. "Some of the tunnels are close enough to this cliff wall," she said pointing under the bridge to the cliff closest to the factory. "So, you could cut a hole and make an entry point."

Ahsoka was examining the vastness of the tunnels. Luminara started talking next, three blips showed up and started going through the tunnels. "Once inside, we can find the main reactor, plant the explosives, and blow the factory inside out."

"Looks like a good way to get lost if you ask me," Anakin said doubtfully.

"For the _shabuir _that don't memorize the tunnels and were they lead to," I said.

Luminara nodded. "I instructed Barriss to memorize the labyrinths, all two hundred junctions."

"You always were thorough," Anakin said to Luminara.

"It pays for one to be prepared," she replied seriously. "Right, Barriss?"

Her apprentice nodded. "Especially when lives depend on your success," Barriss said.

"How do we keep the Geonosians occupied while someone else is setting the bombs?" Ahsoka asked.

"Good point, Snips," Anakin replied to Ahsoka, he then turned his head to talk to Luminara. "If whoever's going in there has to be successful, we need to create a diversion."

"Precisely," Luminara stated. "That task will be carried out by you and I, Skywalker. While the destruction of the factory falls to the Padawans."

Anakin started back up again. "Now hold on," he started. "Who started that? Walking into that factory could be suicide."

Ahsoka and I looked at each other then back at Anakin. "Master," I said to Anakin. "We can do this. We _have _had riskier assignments. Like what about Felucia or Bane with Ahsoka? Or Barriss and I with Geonosis a week ago?"

"But unlike Barriss you two aren't prepared for this mission," he retorted.

"Not to worry," Luminara said powering down the holoprojector. "My Padawan is reliable. She can lead them both through the maze along with herself."

"We'll be in and out, Master," Barriss put in.

"See," Ahsoka said to Anakin. "Dependable Barriss will get us through. Don't worry, Master. As you well know, we _can_ follow orders."

Luminara spoke up and gave the backpack with explosives to me. "It's decided then."

"I guess it is," Anakin replied.

Luminara then held three devises that looked like data chips. "We'll monitor your progress on these chronometers," she handed the devices to Ahsoka, Barriss, and me. "Synchronize on my mark."

I attached it to my gauntlets and waited. "Three, two, one...Mark," Luminara said as a chorus of mechanical sounds came from the chronometer from all five meters. We held our wrists out to show that they were synchronized. The red light on them blipped red at the same time.

"Let's get going," I said. "Ladies' first."

Ahsoka and Barriss both nodded at me and took off running towards the bridge. I followed matching their speed. The tank had begun moving behind us to the bridge. We ran to the cliff face in under a few minutes. We began climbing down the cliff face just in time to hear the battle begin up top. The droids started emerging from the factory by the tons and blasting at the clones.

We had to get down the cliff faster or else being spotted. We began jumping from one protruding rock to the next with as much grace as we could have. And, surprisingly enough, I didn't slip with a pack full of explosives on my back. Rock after rock the bottom became closer and closer until we finally reached the bottom. We ran to the other side of the cliff just as fast as we got down.

The distraction seemed to be working because the Geonosians had started attacking the clones from the spires around the bridge. Barriss was examining the wall to find the entrance. Once she did, she took out her lightsaber and cut a door sized hole in the cliff that lead right into the tunnel. She gripped the sliced rock with the Force and revealed the hole.

"Nice work," Ahsoka whispered to her and looked at the dark hole in front of her. "Well, her goes nothing."

Ahsoka tried to go into the tunnel first but Barriss grabbed her shoulder. "I should go in first. I know the way."

"Be my guest," Ahsoka said and gestured to the entrance. Barriss looked to the side to make sure we weren't being followed and entered the tunnel. Ahsoka looked at me and I gestured for her to go first. _I don't like this_, she said to me.

_Don't worry_, _we'll get out alive_, I replied. She nodded and walked into the tunnel, I followed.

Once I got in the tunnel, another phrase came into my head. 'You've seen one tunnel, you've seen them all' came into my head. And boy was it true. The tunnel was the exact same as I remembered it. Dark and desolate. I followed Ahsoka who was following Barriss through the winding tunnels. We got around one corner and stopped. It was a pair of Geonosian warriors. Probably sentries that alerted all the others in case there were intruders. But there weren't any as far as they were concerned. Barriss waited until they walked off into a separate tunnel.

We continued as quietly as possible before Barriss wasn't looking and almost ran into a hibernating Geonosian. She suddenly stopped and signaled for Ahsoka and me to do the same. We crouched under and saw that this hall was filled with them. "They're sleeping," Barriss pointed out.

"No," I replied sarcastically. "Is that why they aren't moving much?"

Barriss looked at me and the look almost knocked the wind out of me all on its own. "We have to find another way," Ahsoka put in.

"We don't have time," Barriss replied nodding her head forward. "This direction is the fastest."

"Maybe you're wrong," I whispered.

"Trust me," she said as we crouched and walked under the Geonosians to the other side. Only a few paces later, Barriss walked forward and a Geonosian had fell on her forehead. She stopped moving. "Jadin," she said to me. I didn't hear her at first so I kept on walking. "Jadin," she said a little louder but quietly enough to not wake the other Geonosians. I finally turned around to see what had happened. I walked back to her help. I held the Geonosians arm while I nodded to Barriss to move. She got out of the hold and I slowly dropped the hand.

We walked away following Barriss to the left. We kept going. Through that hallway until Barriss spoke up. "Left at the next junction," she said. We got to the junction turned left. "Dead end," she said facing a clear rock face.

"If we make a wrong turn," Ahsoka said. "We may never find a way out."

"You do remember the way don't you?" I asked her. Barriss was rubbing her chin trying to remember the way.

"Of course I do," she retorted. A moment later she looked up at the ceiling. "It's not left, it's up," she said walking under the light source. "It's this way," she finished and used the Force to jump up to the next level.

Ahsoka went next and I followed. Ahsoka jumped up and I looked around to check to see if we weren't being followed. I looked where the junction entrance was. I could have sworn that I saw a pair of nocturnal eyes looking at me, but as soon as I looked again, they were gone. I shook my head, _you're going crazy, Jadin_, I said to myself. _That's all_. I jumped up the hole and didn't look back.

We climbed up the hole as fast as we could. We got under another hole, but this time the light shined a different hue. The sound of metal beating on metal could also be heard. We looked up to see what was making the noise. "Wow," Ahsoka stated. "That's a lot of droids."

Barriss looked at a tunnel. "Come on," she said to Ahsoka and I. "The main control room is this way," she said and went to the tunnel.

"Good I said," I said. "I'm dying to blow something up." I looked back once and saw the same nocturnal eyes again. Either something was following us or I had officially gone crazy. I thought I was crazy, with the new order giving gift that I have I thought I would be going through some wartime fatigue. Completely normal right?

Anyways, I walked out through the tunnel to another jump where we all climbed up a hatch that had to be unscrewed to get to. Once we did, the vast main reactor was shown. It looked like a cone with an energy beam running through it. I, personally, have never seen anything like it. But it sure looked like Barriss and Ahsoka knew what they were doing. I took off my pack off and started charging up the demolition charges.

We set about twenty charges all around and pressed the red switch on our chronometers. I put the backpack back on. "And now," Ahsoka said. "We make ourselves scarce," she finished as we made our way back to the hatch. But the main door opened to reveal an enemy tank. But not just any tank, it was the tank in the hologram I saw on my first visit to Geonosis. I didn't want to know what it could do in terms of fire power. There was also a tactical droid, five Geonosians, and another long bearded (at least it reminded me of a beard) Geonosian. I knew who he was, Poggle the Lesser.

Ahsoka, Barriss and I all ignited our lightsabers. Our green, blue, and silver blades shot up in an almost simultaneous _snap_-_hiss_. Ahsoka spun her lightsaber into a reverse grip status. Barriss twisted her lightsaber in front of her. I held mine with two hands and set it diagonally across my body, ready to deflect any sonic blasts coming my way.

A second later, the Geonosians fired off four shot that we deflected and sliced two Geonosians up and they fell to the floor, not going to fire off any more shots. Poggle said something in his native tongue to the remaining Geonosians that probably meant 'Grab all the bombs before they go off'. Because all of the remaining Geonosians started grabbing the charges and disarming them. The tactical droid translated my thought about what Poggle said.

The tank had adjusted its laser cannons on the side. I guess I would see what type of fire power this tank has to bare down upon us. It started blasting in rapid succession. It had fired six rounds before the other Geonosians started taking the bombs. We were being distracted by the laser blasts. We had to do something or else we would be toast. Then I just remembered: I had a backpack full of grenades on my back.

I crouched down below the lasers and took out a charge and armed it. "See if your _shabla _tank can take this!" I shouted and threw the charge on the tank. The explosive maximized once it made contact with the armor of the tank.

The technical droid stared at the bomb. "Haha," it said with a mechanical rasp. "Fool. The Super Tank is impervious to weap—"

The droid was cut short by an explosion on the side of the tank. The thing about technical droids is that they never take common sense into their equations. After the smoke cleared, the droid was in pieces. I chuckled and saw Barriss and Ahsoka doing the same thing. But when I turned my head around, the tank was still coming towards us, now firing all its laser batteries at us. We brought our sabers up and blocked the shots. After 12 rounds, double what I had blocked last time. Ahsoka looked at the reactor and saw the Geonosians taking the remained of the bombs. "The bombs!" she yelled as she, Barriss and I blocked a few more round before we got to the Geonosians. The good thing about the tank was that it was slow moving.

The Geonosians growled at us and took off to the ceiling hatch. Ahsoka jumped onto two of the ones that were flying away. "Ahhh!" she screamed but still held on. Just then, another warrior popped out of a hatch out of the ground. I turned around to face it head on avoiding the tank. I heard Ahsoka retaliate against the Geonosians in the air. "Stupid green bugger! Whaa!" she yelled before I heard a loud clank. I felt a shockwave through the Force. I heard more clanking as if something was rolling on the reactor core and numerous other shockwaves though the Force. I turned around and ran to Ahsoka's side. Barriss did the same blocking the laser blasts.

Ahsoka lied on the ground motionless. The Geonosian who appeared from the ground hatch gestured to the other warriors that had the bombs. Barriss responded and tried to cut off the bugs but was unable to do so. The tank turned towards her and armed its lasers. She had the look of resilience on her face.

Suddenly, Ahsoka woke up. The tank opened up what looked like to be mortar launchers. Barriss jumped into action, and when I mean jumped into action, I mean _jumped_. She leaped almost 10 meters onto the tanks top. She cut her lightsaber into the roof, drilled a circle, and jumped in. I don't know what happened after that, but the tank got closer and closer to Ahsoka and me. I helped her up to the side of the reactor. She brushed away my help and got up. Barriss opened the hatch of the tank and Ahsoka and I jumped in without trouble. "The bugs took the bombs," Barriss told Ahsoka.

"What are we going to do now?" Ahsoka asked.

"I don't know what to do…" Barriss replied fearfully. "Without the bombs."

"Uh, hello?" I said sarcastically. "This is a 'super tank'; it's got the power to destroy the power generator."

"And probably us along with it," Ahsoka added solemnly.

"I guess," Barriss said giving up. "That's our only choice."

_No_, I said to myself. _I'm not going to lose you just yet_, _Ahsoka_.

Ahsoka engaged her comlink. "Master," she said to Anakin. There was blaster fire in the background. "Can you hear me?"

"_Ahsoka_!" he yelled. "_Set off the bombs. We're traped_!"

"I'm sorry, Master," she replied almost tearing up. "We can't make it out."

"_Can't make it out_?" Anakin asked not understanding. "_Ahsoka wait_!"

Barriss nodded to Ahsoka to engage the mortars to fire. "Fire," Ahsoka said pressing the touch screen.

Time somehow slowed down. The mortars hit the reactor, the shockwave seemed to last a lifetime to get here. However, once it did, I could feel the tank shoot back like it was a toy being throne across the room. I made one more last look at Ahsoka; she looked back with a tear running down her face. I guess my dream had come true…Ahsoka and I would die. But this is not what I intended. I hoped that dream wouldn't come true. _I love you_, _Jadin_, she said to me.

_I know_, I replied as time sped back up and I was forced to hit my head harder than I had when the gunship had crashed. This time, I don't think I was going to recover as quickly as possible…I might not even recover if no one found our bodies. For all I knew, I was dead. Dead and away from Ahsoka…forever….

A moment later, or an hour, I wasn't sure. I saw a blue and green hue in my eyes. I guess I wasn't dead after all. I opened my eyes to see Ahsoka and Barriss. "Thank the Force, we're alive!" I shouted as loud as I could. I heard some debris shake over head.

"Shut up!" Barriss quieted me. I rubbed my eyes to see what was going on. Both lightsabers were on and Ahsoka was working on something with a power cell. She held her communicator in her hand also.

"Could someone fill me in on what's happening?" I asked a little quieter.

"Ahsoka's working on fixing the communicator," Barriss replied. "Oh, and we're probably going to die because of suffication."

"That's," I tried to find the right words to say. "A…comforting thought."

"That is exactly what I said," Barriss replied.

"Whatever happens," I said. "Destroying this factory will have saved countless of lives."

Ahsoka had a smile on her face. "Well I'm about to save three more," she said as she sparked the power cell on the communicator. It sparked up in blue flame but died when she pulled the power cell away. She did the same thing that was a sort of code, so to say. I think it's similar to what you beings in the Milky Way call Mores Code? Anyways, she sparked up a few times before Ahsoka started to get lightheaded. She stopped sparking and grasped Barriss's hand. I scooted over to Ahsoka and held her hand, but not the way she held Barriss's, our fingers were intertwined.

I realized what was about to happen. I sat up and tried to slow down my breathing, to conserve as much air as possible. I used the Force to help me out. My breathing slowed and therefore my heartbeat. I could feel my wound healing faster than bacta could handle. My cut was healing, I would have a scar, but I healed my wound very fast. Just then, a piece of metal above us moved by an invisible force. I came out of the healing trance. I saw Geonosis's sun again and I could take in a breath of fresh air. I tried to get up, but my hand was twined with Ahsoka's, I let go at the same time she did. We hid our feelings and got up out of the tank. There was smoke around the tank so we choked on the way out.

"Ahsoka! Jadin!" Anakin shouted at us. He sent some clones down to help us out. I apparently didn't have any wounds because of my new found ability. I jumped up the debris up to my master's side to help Ahsoka and Barriss up.

"I knew you would come looking for us," Ahsoka said happily with a smile on her face.

"I never doubted you three for a second," Anakin replied.

"Padawan," Luminara said to Barriss. "You did well."

"Thank you, Master," she replied with a small curtsy. "But if it weren't for Ahsoka and Jadin. We'd still be down there."

Luminara had a smile on her face and turned to Ahsoka. "Indeed," she said. Seriously, what is up with the Jedi Masters saying indeed 24 standard hours a day? It gets kind of annoying after a time. I think that is why the Force chose me to be with Skywalker. "Your master never lost faith in the both of you."

Ahsoka and I looked back at our master. He smiled back at us just as the gunships started to arrive. We got on without saying a word. We launched and we could see what was caused by the explosion. It was just a pile of burning rubble and stone. It's amazing what a few mortars can do. It's amazing what a healing trance can do too…

**AN: This is the second longest chapter I have written and I already have plans for a sequel. I just need a title first…Haha! I would like to use anyone's OCs that are Padawan Jedi to go on a mission with Jadin so to say. If you anyone wants to PM me about if you want me to put one (or how many ever) of your OCs in. Any are accepted. Just post a review saying what the OC's name is and I'll reply asking the personalities and such. Thanks a ton, Chapter 12 will be up soon… ****Review plz!**


	12. Legacy of Terror

**AN: Thanks to the fellow writers who came up with the OCs that will be in the sequel to The Forbidden. I would like to give my thanks to ****alienvspredator5**** and ****Ben Rachlin** **for giving me great characters that I will be using. One is Ryan Sarkia and the other is ****Torias Flynn. Thanks again for giving me these characters; I will try to make them seem as good as can be. This story is close to the end and the second one will start out just before the episode in Season Three that's called "Heroes on Both Sides". And…like all chapters of this story, ****Read and Review****.**

The Battle of Geonosis was finally over. The massive siege that was set down upon this harsh world had been complete. The factories all over the world have been destroyed including the main factory that Barriss, Ahsoka and I had a hand in taking down. Once we had gotten out of the rubble, Luminara and Anakin greeted us and were glad to actually see us alive. Ahsoka, Barriss, and I didn't have any injuries that were serious, only fatigue. The healing trance got rid of that all. I walked them both over to a gunship. Rex had joined me in sending them off.

"Sorry to leave you here, Rex," Ahsoka said tiredly. "There's still a lot to do."

"You two have done enough destroying that factory," Rex replied. I cleared my throat to get his attention. "I'm sorry, the _three _of you."

"That's better," I said to Rex. I then turned back to Ahsoka and Barriss. "Go get some rest."

Rex cut in. "General Kenobi will take it from here."

I turned back to Rex. "Thanks for interrupting me, _ner vod_."

"Just doing my job, sir," he replied with a chuckle.

"We'll be back before you know it Capitan Rex," Barriss said touching her hand to her chest and nodding at him. Ahsoka and Barriss got on the medical ship with two other wounded clones and a medic. The gunships engines heated up win a familiar hum. The gunships doors closed and the gunship immediately lifted off and headed to the medical ship in orbit around the planet. That just left Rex and me alone. The Capitan started walking away towards two other gunships. "So, what are we supposed to do?"

Rex turned back to me. "I'm sending you to be with General Kenobi and General Luminara," he said. "Plus, you might even see some more action with them then you would with me."

He and I walked towards a gunship that had no beam cannons and a unique design on the sides. It was the design of a Mythosaur skull that was painted red. It had looked like it was dripping the red paint on the side. It also had an inscription on it also. But it wasn't in Basic…it was in _Mando_'_a_. Luckily, I knew how to read the language. '_Oya Manda_,' which, to my best translation, meant 'To the hunt, warriors'. I had officially come to like this gunship. I got on the gunship with other clones who were conversing with each other on their private comlinks. Once I got on, they stopped their conversation. I urged them to keep talking, which they did, but out of the private comlinks.

"I hate the cleanup effort," one of them said as the gunship's doors closed and took off leaving the supply area.

"So do I," another replied. "I just don't see the point. I mean, we've taken the planet, but why do we have to help the planet?"

"Beats me," the third one said. "But the point is that we have a job to do. Nothing in this galaxy can change that."

In that brief conversation, we got to the destination. The blast shields of the gunship opened to reveal Master Luminara on the edge of a cliff with her BARC-speeder. I looked back to see another gunship with the design of an animal that I didn't know the name of, but it was the gunship Commander Cody was riding when the first attack on the front lines happened. Obi-Wan must be using it as his head gunship since his was destroyed.

The pilot of my gunship started his landing sequence and I jumped out when we were about two feet from the ground. I landed without pain and walked over to Luminara and Obi-Wan who were already conversing. I was just able to catch the middle of it. "We suffer a great many losses in these battles," Luminara said. "Too many."

"The battles do appear to be coming with growing frequency," Obi-Wan pointed out.

Luminara just got right back on track though. "No sign of Poggle then?" she asked.

Obi-Wan stopped looking out at the landscape in front of us. "Nothing," he said. "We have clone squadrons spread out over the area, but no hits yet."

Luminara started to walk towards her speeder. "I'll go out and find some clue of where he went."

"I'm sure the clones can handle—" Obi-Wan started but was interrupted.

"Poggle has too much information about the Separatist to let him get away," Luminara pointed out and mounted her speeder.

"Very well, Master Unduli," Obi-Wan replied.

"Just make sure to leave a bit of strategic planning for me when I get back, Master Kenobi" she said looking back with a smile at the end. "I would hate to be left out."

She turned around and powered up her speeder and sped off into the scene in front at full speed. Obi-Wan and I walked away and headed back to the gunship. Obi-Wan didn't even say a word to me. Once we got on the gunship and even when we got off the ship to head to the grounded _Acclamator_-Class ship where the battle planning would take place. My guess was that he had a lot on his mind. We both went to the bridge to see what was going on in terms of strategy. We walked onto the bridge to find Master Mundi up and about.

"What's this?" Obi-Wan asked jokingly. "I didn't expect to see you up and about."

"After enough time in a bacta tank," the old master replied. "One longs for the mending comfort of star charts."

He was looking at star charts but not of the galaxy itself, but of Geonosis. "Seems like the bacta did you good, Master," I complimented. "Your wound is almost healed."

"I thank you for the compliment," Ki-Adi replied then looked out the view port of the bridge. "But, I wish I could say the same for most of my men."

"Well," Obi-Wan started. "Let's hope we don't have to capture Geonosis a third time. Poggle's forces seemed to come to the northern hemisphere."

Obi-Wan was referring to the hologram of Geonosis. "And where was Master Unduli's last contact maid from?" Mundi asked.

"This region," Obi-Wan said pointing west of the coordinance of the factory. "Further to the west. But there is nothing out there according to our latest intel."

"Maybe she has found something of value," Ki-Adi suggested. Not a moment later, Luminara's image came up on the holoprojector.

"_Master Kenobi_, _Master Mundi_," Luminara greeted both of the masters. "I believe I have found something."

"Do tell, Master Unduli," Obi-Wan replied with a little bow.

"_It appears to be a munitions container of some kind_," she said.

"It could just be debris," Ki-Adi put in.

"_I don't think so_," she replied shaking her head. "There was no battle in this area."

Her clone's voice could have been picked up through the holocom's mic. "_It looks like Poggle was on a direct course. Eleven-mark-seventy-two_. _That way_."

Luminara continued. "_Headed directly towards the Progate Temple_."

"That makes no sense," Ki-Adi said. "There is no way the temple could have survived the munitions we used in the first wave of the attack. Why would he risk exposure to go there?"

"_I'm not yet sure_," Luminara replied. "_Perhaps he doesn't realize the extent of which we cleared that area._"

"Master Luminara," I heard a voice from the shadows of the bridge say. When I looked towards the source of the voice. It was my master, Anakin Skywalker. "I'm tracking a sandstorm headed your way."

Luminara's image turned around to face Anakin. "_No matter_," she said. "_Poggle is out in the open and I intend to grab him before he can get off world._"

"Master Luminara," I said. Her image turned to me. "I have seen some sandstorms in my life on Ryloth. These ones maybe worse."

"I agree," Ki-Adi added. "You might get lost in the storm."

"Then we would have to find both you _and _Poggle," Obi-Wan said counting off both Poggle and Luminara on his hands.

"_I feel it is a risk worth taking_," she replied not shaking her opinion.

"As you wish," Ki-Adi replied as the transmission was cut off.

I turned around to Anakin. "Master, how exactly big is this storm?"

"About 200 kilometers wide," he replied. "The wind speed is up to 200 kilometers an hour also."

This truly was a big sandstorm. I nodded at my master and went down to my quarters to get some rest until the storm wore down. Communications couldn't be made, neither could the gunships take off let alone big _Acclamator_ ships like this. But with the ship grounded, and the landing gears were anchored down into the Geonosian soil. We aren't going anywhere.

But still, I feared for Master Luminara. I have been caught in a sandstorm before but a minor one. I was about 7 and went outside when I wasn't supposed to. The sandstorm came like a vampire fixed on blood. And the storm matched the ferocity too. I was lost from my home and almost blown away before I found shelter in a cave not too far away. I didn't want something like that to happen to Luminara in a storm as big as this one.

I got to the turbolift and went to my quarters. I had a feeling Ahsoka was in there resting. I saw the room through the Force and isolated any life forms inside. I found that there were two. It was Ahsoka and Barriss.

I opened the door. They were sleeping; all tensions were lost in their sleep. I didn't want to wake them from their peaceful slumber. So I walked back to the bridge to see where we stood in terms of finding Poggle the Lesser. But before I left, I gave Ahsoka the impression of me being with her on a planet alone…with no one in sight. I heard her sigh as I left the barracks and headed to the bridge.

I think I will never get over the death experience with Anakin and Ahsoka. The turbolifts always seemed a lot creepier after that. I got to the bridge to see that Luminara had made contact. She had escaped the storm safely. She had just started her transmission.

"_We tracked Poggle to the Progate Temple_," she started. "_But know there is no sign of him_."

"Go no further until we can send support," Obi-Wan said to her. I walked up beside Anakin who was also listening Luminara's image. I had noticed something; her transmission was becoming more and more distorted. "The storm is making things difficult. We can barely read your transmission."

The storm outside was extremely dense. I couldn't even see the assault ship that was only a few klicks away. The storm looked like it wouldn't ware down. Ki-Adi spoke up. "Are you sure he went into the temple?"

"_Yes_," she replied with a nod of her head. "_We saw him enter but I think he has gone into the catacombs bellow_."

"Those catacombs go on for miles," Obi-Wan replied sternly. "I fear we may have lost him. Get yourself out of there."

A second later, the shriek of a clone could be heard and Luminara's lightsaber was turned on as the transmission was cut off.

"Master Unduli?" Obi-Wan asked as the transmission was lost. "Master Unduli?"

"We've lost the connection," Ki-Adi announced. Anakin walked away from the projector.

"Where are you going?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin turned around. I knew exactly what he was doing. "Take a guess."

"Master," I said to him. "We'll never get to her in this storm. I'm very sure the gunships can't handle it."

"Jadin, we can't wait," he said to me then looked back at the masters.

"I'm sorry, Skywalker," Ki-Adi said. "We have no choice. We must be patient and trust Master Unduli."

"We'll leave as soon as the storm lifts," Obi-Wan said and they all looked out the window, waiting for the storm to lift. Anakin and I were the first to leave. He wanted me to get some time in the mobile Starfighter simulator on the ship.

I got in the cockpit and Anakin familiarized me with the controls. Once I got the basics of flight control down, I said I was ready to face a simulation. "Are you sure?" he asked me.

I nodded and got myself situated in the cockpit. Anakin lowered the canopy and a full vastness of space was displayed in front of me and all around. I started the thrust up and maneuvered a couple of times. Then, the sensors in front of me showed an individual droid fighter. I swung my ship around to see that it was closing in on me fast. I activated my lasers and started to play chicken with a droid. I held my finger close to the trigger and waited for the right moment. Once the fighter got within 500 meters in front of me, I opened fire. The beams blasted into the empty space between me and my opponent. I saw sputters from the droid and my immediate reaction was to pitch down and bellow.

My laser blasts hit the fighter but didn't damage it much. I dialed up my inertial compensator to 95% and went to full throttle. I felt the speed of the ship propelling though space and my body being pushed into the seat. Not hard but still enough to say that I was going fast. The fighter was now firing at me from the rear; I had to find a way to get the droid back in my sights. Without getting destroyed anyway. I turned my ship left and right avoiding laser blasts from the droid.

I finally had an idea in my head. I took the control stick in my hands and pulled it towards me. The repulsors had activated and sent me up and over in a backwards flip. I looked up…or down in this case and saw the fighter wondering what to do. I came out of my flip behind the fighter and fired my blaster shots into the fighter's low armor. The fighter slowed down from engine damage and I took the opportunity and destroyed the fighter with one trigger pull.

The simulation stopped and my canopy opened. Anakin greeted me with a smile on his face. "Impressive," he said to me. "Most impressive for a first timer."

"Thank you, Master Skywalker," I replied and got out of the cockpit. A moment later, a clone came from the door leading to the simulator and said that the storm has worn down.

"General Kenobi has requested that you go with him," the clone finished.

"Thank you trooper," Anakin replied and turned to me. He tilted his head for me to race him almost. I smiled and took off towards the hanger running with Anakin on my tail. I probably didn't know the ship well enough, but I could run fast.

Anakin turned out to have beaten me. Apparently he rigged one of the turbolifts to go faster than the one I was in and one. "What took you so long?" Anakin asked with a smile of victory on his face.

I shook my head. "Next time, I won't be so easy on you," I said gasping a little.

"If you both are quite finished, we have to rescue a Jedi-in-distress," Obi-Wan said to us, gesturing us to the gunship.

"You and the late stuff," I said to Obi-Wan.

"Well," he replied. "I wouldn't have to say stuff about you two being late all the time."

"Hey," Anakin said. "We _ran_ here."

"And how you still manage to be late I will never figure out," The old master replied. Anakin and I got on to the gunship just before it closed its doors and was on its way to the Progate Temple.

We landed in front of the Progate and got out and headed inside the temple. There was an AAT and two crates outside. "I think Poggle's here," I said.

"Good observation," Obi-Wan said pointing a smile in my direction. The clone that we brought along as back up piled out of the gunship and stood at attention in ranks. Cody grunted a word but I didn't catch what he said. Obi-Wan turned to the men. "Stay alert everyone," he commanded.

"Spread out and look around, men," Anakin ordered as we entered the temple walls. The clones started to spread out to see what they could find. Cody was the first to find something.

"General," he called to Anakin. We ran over to his side. There was a clone, lying limp on the ground. "Buz is dead, sir."

"Any sign of Luminara?" I asked Cody.

"No, sir," Cody replied with a shake of his head.

Obi-Wan turned his head to look at what appeared to be a sewage line to me. There where foot prints and dragging of boots. "There was a struggle," he said walking around to find anything else. His eye caught something and ran over to it. I saw it too, it was Luminara's lightsaber. "This is not a good sign," he said revealing her saber to Anakin and I. "Luminara's lightsaber."

"Poggle didn't do this," Anakin concluded grasping Luminara's saber. He lowered it and looked up at one of the statues. "Maybe _that _did."

The statue was of a Geonosian alright, but it was not like the ones I have seen before. It had a headdress on its head. Also it had slits for eyes instead of dots like other Geonosians. It looked like a womp rat ready to pounce.

"That is one ugly bug," Cody and I said simultaneously.

"I've never seen one that looks like that before," Anakin confessed still looking up at the statue.

"I don't believe anyone has," Obi-Wan put in. "It could be the Geonosian Queen."

Anakin stopped looking at the statue and gazed at Obi-Wan. "The bugs have a queen?"

"Hmm," Obi-Wan consulted. "Rumored. But we haven't found any proof of her existence."

We all walked to the doorway under the statue. The tunnel leads down a ways. Being under the factory I could tell that the catacombs were vast. But a sort of palace could be much vaster. "Until now," Anakin finished for Obi-Wan.

"This way," Obi-Wan said to the troops.

Cody put his blaster up in the air and gestured with his left hand. "Come on, men. Let's move!"

We started walking into the cave. Both the senor Jedi ignited there lightsabers. I turned the crystal to blue and did the same. The hall was immediately lit up in a blue hue. The clones all turned on their helmet lights to light up the hall more. We walked down numerous hallways. I looked on the ground once and saw a Geonosian skull there. I didn't know how the bugs treated there dead but it couldn't be pretty. We walked down one hallway before the tracker on Cody's wrist com started beeping.

"This leads to a dead end," he told us. He stopped and went to one of the sub-hallways. "This one goes down the furthest. Sir, I'd say that's our best bet," he told Obi-Wan.

"I'll go first," he replied nodding to Cody. Obi-Wan entered in the cramp tunnel.

Anakin turned off his lightsaber and crawled through. I turned off my lightsaber and did the same thing. The clones followed. This hallway was even vaster than the other one. We walked down the hallway with the caution of looking for any sign of Luminara or her captors we found none. I thought I had heard something before Obi-Wan's comlink started beeping. He activated it and saw Luminara's image on the screen.

"_If you are following me_," she started. She was kneeling as if she was hiding from something. "_Just get out_. _I repeat, fall back_!" he transmission was interrupted by a Geonosian's limb grabbing onto her shoulder and pulling her out of the frame.

"She must be close by," Obi-Wan concluded. "Come on!"

We started running down the hall to get to Luminara. Apparently Obi-Wan didn't care about getting out and abandoning Luminara to the bugs. I personally wasn't too thrilled about running into what we were about to after a moment. I had heard steps of something coming through the hallway slowly as if they were being drug. I assumed it was Luminara, but it wasn't. There was about twelve Geonosians that were either walking or climbing up on the walls. But they weren't like normal bugs. Their eyes glowed white. And they were almost dragging their bodies just to get around. Kind of like zombies.

"I don't like the looks of this," I said and switched the crystals in my lightsaber to silver and readied for what was coming our way. They were also coming from our six as well. We were almost surrounded by zombie bugs.

One of the bugs launched forward at me. "Look out!" Cody cried as all the other clones started shooting at the Geonosians. The hall was filled with blue as the blaster bolts went flying around me at the zombies. I saw Cody out of the corner of my eye shoot one right in the head. Its head fell limp for a second but bounced right back up and continued to come towards us. I could smell the burnt air from the blasters and the lightsabers, not to mention the rotting corpses of the dead bugs. One clone was grabbed by one and was dragged into one of the small tunnels faster than some of us could run. Obi-Wan tried to rescue him but was too late.

"Back, everyone, back" he commanded rejoining us. "Take out the supports, it's the only way!"

Anakin, Obi-Wan and I retreated behind the clones as they fired at the ceiling. It was collapsing by the second. We ran back to the sub-hallways entrance. I and other clones were the first to walk though, followed by Obi-Wan and Anakin. The sub-hallway collapsed and a puff of dust rose from the entrance and into our lungs. Now don't get me wrong, almost everyone loves the smell of the dirt after a brief rainstorm. The iron oxidizing fills your nostrils with a deep breath. But dry dust was a different story. I coughed up a storm, but soon got rid of it and listened to Anakin and Kenobi on what to do next.

"What where those things?" Anakin asked panting for breath a little. "We couldn't kill them."

"I have heard stories of a Geonosian hive mind so powerful, so strong that it can maintain its conection with its warriors even after they have died," Obi-Wan explained.

"And you think that's why we couldn't kill them?" I asked with a small cough. "Because they're—"

"Already dead," Obi-Wan finished. "Yes."

"That can't be true," Anakin contradicting what Obi-Wan and I were talking about. "That's not possible!"

"Impossible or not," I said. "These bugs keep moving after we chop them up or blast them to shreds."

Obi-Wan had his hand on his chin in thought. "Call for reinforcements," he commanded to Anakin.

Anakin put his wrist communicator up to his face to see what he was doing. He dialed the _Acclamator_-class ship. It beeped a few times but was interrupted by static. "Ahg!" Anakin grunted. "There's no signal."

"We must be too deep underground," Obi-Wan concluded and turned towards the clones that were facing him. "You two go back to the surface and contact General Mundi. Tell him we need reinforcements."

"Yes, sir," one of the clones said. The two clones he selected started walking back the way we came.

"I'll go with them," I said and ran to catch up with them, lightsaber ignited in my hand.

"I won't be unhappy to get out from under all of this dirt," one said as we walked through the hallway. I had found out his name was Gearshift. "This place gives me the shivers."

We turned a corner as I heard what it thought was to be a bug scream coming from behind us. Both the clones pointed there blasters behind us. "Wind's probably playing tricks on us, right?" the other one named Camshaft asked.

"Look around," I said to them, kinda creeped out myself. "There's nothing he—" I was cut off by another scream coming from behind.

I turned around to find three zombies blocking off our shot to the surface. Camshaft and Gearshift started firing at the bugs with all they had. "They're not going down!" Gearshift yelled. "We have to head back!" I shouted over the blasting and Geonosian wining. But they wouldn't go down. I ran towards the three and sliced all of their heads off. "Gearshift!" I shouted as a bug grabbed him from the helmet and broke his neck, killing him instantly. Camshaft got taken down by another bug also. They were closing in on me now. I decided not to risk it as I tried to run back to Obi-Wan and Anakin. But just as I was about to shoot off, the bugs stopped attacking and the two Masters came through.

Anakin extinguished his lightsaber as Obi-Wan did the same. "Obviously these things are more powerful than we thought," Anakin said walking past me. I was gasping for air as the adrenalin was wearing down and I became tired. "I'm going to the surface to alert General Mundi myself."

"I think that would be a foolhardy move, Anakin," Obi-Wan stopped Anakin. Anakin turned around to listen to the old master. "We can't divide out troops again. We don't have time to double back to the surface. Every moment we waist puts Luminara in greater danger."

"So," I said trying to make sense of what Obi-Wan was trying to say. "We find Luminara and possibly the queen. When we do that, we either destroy the queen or rescue Luminara, right?"

The two masters nodded and went through a different tunnel that led even more to the center of the catacombs. We reached another sub-tunnel that was where the air was warmer. But the smell was horrid. It was like womp rats feeding on Geonosian _osik_ then dying and left to rot for fermentation to set in.

"The air is warmer here," Obi-Wan pointed out. "We must be getting close."

My master grimaced. "Ahg! Forget the head," he coughed a couple of times. "What smells down here," he said and deactivated his saber. All the remaining clones did the same with their head lamps.

"Keep your voice down," Obi-Wan tried to tell Anakin. But my master is more stubborn than a feral bantha.

"I'm just saying!" he shouted in whisper. "This planet is rotten from the inside out."

We walked around the corner to find a spectacular sight. It was the Geonosian Queen. She was as big as the chamber almost and was bulbous all around. If you asked me 'How's the Geonosian queen?' I would have said 'Go screw yourself!' in the meanest possible way. 

Luminara was also strung up. She looked very similar to one of your religions in the Milky-way. She actually looked like…Jesus I think his was as he was nailed onto the Cross? Anyways, that's what she looked like. But instead of nails, she was held up in the air by ray shielded cuffs, it was impossible to get out of.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Anakin said looking at the queen.

"It must be," Obi-Wan started. Cody came up next to us and turned on his infrared scope attached to his helmet. "The Queen."

"Any sign of Luminara?" Anakin asked Cody.

"I see her," I said. "She held near the throne."

"Perfect," he replied almost as if he was about to admit defeat. "What about Poggle?"

"I don't see him," I said regretfully. "Cody?"

"He's speaking with the queen," he announced.

"Good," Anakin said, his mood was even cheerier. "You take the soldiers, I'll take the queen."

"Must you always rush into thing?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Oh no," Anakin said. "You don't actually wanna talk to it do you?"

"A matter of fact, I do," Obi-Wan replied with a hint of enlightenment. "Anakin, don't you wonder why they took Luminara captive? Why not just kill her?"

"She's leverage," Anakin answered. "She's a hostage."

"Leverage for what?" I retorted. My master glared at me but with a 'can-you-elaborate-on-that' look "No, there is something going on here and these zombies are connected to it."

"Fine," he replied to me then turned to Obi-Wan. "We'll try it your way."

"So glad you agree," Obi-Wan said. He turned to give Cody the orders. "Cody, set your men up around the parameter. These creatures live in darkness. The light from your helmet should blind them temporarily. Turn you lamps on at my signal. It should create enough confusion for us to get Luminara out of there."

"But what happens when the bugs pursue?" Cody asked in return. "You've seen 'um in action sir, we can't kill them."

Just then, and idea popped into my head. "We'll have to bury them," I said. "I think it'll at least slow them down. Shoot out the support pillars and this whole place will collapse."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Let's go," he commanded. Cody went to gather his men up and the three lone Jedi, Obi-Wan, Anakin and me, walked out to the queen.

She had a bunch of zombies surrounding her but strangely enough, they did not attack. They let us walk right under Luminara. She looked surprised to see us almost. The queen held up her limbs, all…six of them, and let out a giant roar. It was screeching and howling with a slight slither at the end.

"How did you know they wouldn't just attack us?" Anakin asked.

"Because I know how to make observations while you think with your lightsaber," he replied smiling. I chuckled at the truth behind what Obi-Wan was saying. I was also thinking of something else…remember a while back how I said I was in league with some perverted Twi'leks? Yeah…their thoughts came back to me.

Poggle was right in front of Luminara when we approached. He turned back around without saying a word. "Well that quick thinking of mine is usually needed when your observations get us into trouble," Anakin retorted.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan explained. "The queen took Luminara hostage. She wanted a Jedi, now she has three more. Well two and a half."

"Hey," I said to the old master. "That's not funny."

"It is for me," Anakin replied.

"Anyways," Obi-Wan continued. "I want to know what she is after."

The bug zombies where all howling and growling at us but still keeping a lightsaber's distance away. "Well," Anakin retorted…again. "When this doesn't go to plan, which it won't. I'll be ready."

"That is so reassuring," I told him trying to keep a straight face. We had reached Luminara when we finished our conversation.

"I thought I told you _not _to follow me, Master Kenobi," Luminara said to us reminding me of her last transmission to us.

"Yes," he replied. "Well, I took a lesson from Anakin and decided to not follow orders."

No the joke was on my master. "Hey!"

"It's funny to me," I said to him with a big smile on my face.

The queen spoke finally. Not in Geonosian, but in Basic? "You," she said with a raspy female voice. That sounded eighty years old "You are the creatures that attacked Geonosia! Why have you come before me!"

"Your majesty," Obi-Wan told the queen. It seemed like he was talking to an oversized queen of Hapes. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Obi-Wan Kenobi and this is Anakin Skywalker with his apprentice Jadin. It is our sad duty to inform you that your rule has come to an end."

"Youuu not dictate to me, Jedi!" she retorted. "My empire…is…forever."

Luminara looked back at us to see what our comeback would be. "I'm afraid it does not appear that way, your grace," Obi-Wan started. "You shall release the Jedi Luminara and subject to Republic Law."

The queen raised her hands up in defiance and screamed like a kryat dragon in defiance. The howl actually hurt my ears as she continued. "I…no…submit to you!" the queen replied as two Geonosian guards held there sonic blasters up to us. Anakin activated his lightsaber but was stopped by Obi-Wan from slicing any of them up. I held my hand on the activation button of mine…waiting for the right moment.

"No," Obi-Wan said to my master. "Patients, Anakin, wait."

He deactivated his lightsaber as they were taken by the Geonosians. They took mine away also. Having your lightsaber out of reach is an unbearable force that hurts a Jedi. I was taught that the powerful device was my life. And having my life taken away was unbearable on its own. "Majesty," Obi-Wan continued. "Destroying us will only make the Republic's judgment of you harsher."

She grunted and continued. "No…Jedi, No! I no destroy you, I _devour_ you. I control you. I have but one Jedi before young Poggle bring me. But now! I have threeeee."

"FOUR!" I shouted at the queen. I got the death stare from both my masters. I noticed that a zombie bug had a kind of egg in his hands and it had two worm like things crawling out of it.

"Now watch…as my child enters you Jedi friend. And once inside, her mind becomes my mind…Her thoughts, _my_ thoughts."

Obi-Wan had finally figured it out. "It's sort of mind control, Anakin. A hive mind, she thinks she can possess us."

"Great," Anakin retorted with impatience behind his voice. "Find out everything you wanted to know yet?"

"No, wait" Obi-Wan replied. "I want to see how it works."

"I don't think Luminara wants to see how it works," I said to the masters.

"No," she said with a sort of smirk on her face. "I don't."

"I'm curious, the more we know the better," he said ignoring Luminara.

"I disagree!" Luminara tried to reason with Obi-Wan.

"So do I," Anakin said.

"Come now," Obi-Wan said shutting up Anakin. "The nose or the ear, which one do you think it will enter?"

The bug with the worms got closer and closer to Luminara's face. Anakin sighed. "I think the nose…"

The worm was released and crawled around Luminara's headdress and around her face. "Uhg," she cringed her face up. "I hope this is part of the plan."

"Isn't it always," Obi-Wan said with a smile on his face. "Cody, NOW!" he shouted as all the clones came out of the shadows to turn on their headlamps. The queen howled in pain as did all the other Geonosians. The zombies that where holding our lightsabers were also stunned. The masters and I took the opportunity and reached out with the Force to pull the lightsabers back towards us. Anakin got both Luminara's and his own. I reached out for mine and was able to have my life back in my own hands once more.

Anakin sliced up one Geonosian and took off to fight more. I slid my blade through the other zombie as Obi-Wan griped the worm that was crawling over Luminara into his hand with the Force. He examined it as it slithered around in his palm. Anakin cut Luminara free and gave her lightsaber back. She ignited it and pointed it at Poggle who clicked in response. "You're coming with us, Poggle" Anakin said strapping stun cuffs onto Poggle's arms. He grabbed the bearded Geonosian and started slicing up zombies in front of him. I turned back towards the exit to find about ten more bugs. I ran up to each one using quick and precise slices with my silver blade to bring them down. Obi-Wan almost got jumped by bugs before Anakin stopped him. "Obi-Wan look out!" Anakin grabbed the worm that the older master was holding and threw it on the ground. Anakin raised his boot up and squished the parasite in two.

"What are you doing?" Obi-Wan tried to stop him…but it was too late. "I was going to study that!"

"Study the bottom of my boot," he replied. "Come on, let's get out of here!"

I got behind Cody before he started blasting at the zombies. "Here they come," he said. They blasted as hard as they could, but they would not go down no matter what.

"Take out the supports!" I shouted at the clones. They complied and riddled a stone column with blaster bolts. It shattered and gave way. Then they blasted at another which also gave way. Stone started falling on the floor. One even hit the queen. It was time to get out.

We where now running away back towards the well that we had seen when we first entered the temple. I head Cody shout. "They're still coming!" she shouted as more blaster fire when out through the tunnels. We got to the light source that was the well.

Luminara pointed up. "This is our way out!"

"Start climbing," Anakin ordered the clone that was next to us. We jumped up using the force as high as we could go to get to where we needed to be. Obi-Wan and the remaining troops where right behind us. I climbed and climbed before rocks started to fall down the well. One almost caught me in the shoulder. "Jadin!" Luminara shouted at me. "Look out!" I jumped from one side to the other and nearly got knocked out and buried alive by one stone.

I had dropped even further than Cody who was the last to enter the well. The zombies made a last desperate attempt to capture us by climbing faster than us. One grabbed onto my boot and tried to drag me down. I brought my free one up and kicked it good in the head. Its hands fell limp and released my leg from its grip. I climbed up even faster this time. I looked back down which reveled to me what was about to happen.

The sand and shockwaves from the crumpling catacombs gave way and up through the well that had now become a geyser of sand and stone. "Whuuuaaahhh!" Everyone else and I yelled. The lid holding the well spewed out and released us all into the temple's first floor. All the masters landed gracefully along with Poggle who had wings, but I landed almost on my feet fully. But instead I had broken my fall with my _shebs_. That was going to hurt the next day, that was for sure. But I had to keep moving or be buried by more rubble. We all ran outside the temple walls and stopped to see the Progate Temple stumble and fall.

The dust cloud settled over us. I coughed…again. By know I would think that my lungs would be caked with sand. "All things considered," Anakin said also coughing. "That when better than I expected."

"I wish we could have gotten one of those worms," Obi-Wan replied. "Knowing how the queen controls her minions could have proven valuable."

"Well," I said. "Hopefully the secret is buried with her."

"Yes, hopefully," Luminara said.

**AN: This is by far, the longest chapter I have ever written. As you all can tell it took a while but I have finally got it done. There are only a few more chapters left before this story comes to an end. I like all the feedback I'm getting. Keep I coming, that's all I have to say. Again, I want to thank all the people that looked at the stories the ****The Forbidden**** and clicked on the link to enjoy this story. Thanks a ton again to the people who review. If there is any way I can make this story better, put it in the reviews (and yes, UPDATE! counts as a review Neon Templar haha!).**


	13. The Shared Dream

**AN: As probably most of you have guessed, this chapter takes place during the episode "Brain Invaders," (hence the chapter's name). I don't think this chapter will be quite as long as the "Legacy of Terror" but then again I type the authors note just before I write the story. Anyways, ****Read and Review ****always. Thanks for taking the time to read this chapter. Only a few more chapters till the end. And the bridge to a sequel will be added in the last chapter.**

Luminara, Anakin, Obi-Wan and I reported back to Ki-Adi and the Counsel after our ordeal with the Geonosian queen. They were just as surprised as I was when we told them about the zombies. The Counsel wanted to have Geonosis under constant guard for the remainder of the war. They left an entire regiment to watch over the Progate and all surrounding buildings to make sure that Geonosis wasn't to be taken a third time.

We left the Progate and met up with an escort to take Poggle and all of us back to Coruscant. I couldn't wait to get home. Even request a meditative retreat to go with Ahsoka to a paradise planet. We were greeted to Ki-Adi, Ahsoka, and Barriss with a shuttle and some bad news.

"I'm afraid we have a complication," he said to us.

"Don't we always," I said kind of upset. I had my share of Geonosis for a life time.

"I've just received a distress signal from our forces on Dantooine," Ki-Adi explained. "Master Windu's defenses held but at a great cost to his men. They need medical supplies immediately. We can obtain these supplies at the medical station near Ord-Cestus."

"We're delivering Poggle to Coruscant," Anakin said. "And Cestus isn't exactly on the way."

"The Republic must begin debriefing Poggle right away if we are to gain useful intelligence," Luminara added.

Anakin walked around to Barriss, Ahsoka and I. "Master," he started. I hate when he has an idea like these. "I suggest we let our Padawans handle the supply mission."

He reached over and grabbed all three of us closer together. I could tell that Barriss was uncomfortable being close to me, but Ahsoka had a smile on her face. "Whatever needs to be done, Master," Ahsoka said. "I'm happy to help."

"As am I," Barriss added.

"I guess that means I have to go, to you know, protect you guys from zombies," I said putting my best walking dead voice behind 'zombies'. I straitened my arms out towards the other Padawans as they cringed at the thought. I laughed. "Just kidding," I said lowering my arms. "The only zombies in the galaxy are dead…or undead…I don't know, it's complicated."

Obi-Wan chuckled as well. "Very well," he said to us. "Take a medical frigate. And after we deliver Poggle to Coruscant, we'll rendezvous with you for the voyage to Dantooine," Obi-Wan finished and the two other masters walked away towards the shuttle to off world to the Jedi Cruiser in the atmosphere.

A few minutes later, a medical frigate landed at our position. Our clone squad met up with us and walked up the loading platform of the frigate. I got a strange feeling about the squad that was with us. I just had a cringing feeling up my back and felt it as one of the clones passed by me. I think I had a bad feeling about him.

We got on and the frigate retracted its landing gears and powered its repulsors up and fired us out of the range of Geonosis's atmosphere. We engaged sublights one we reached space and left the planet's outer rings. Ahsoka, Barriss, and I were up at the bridge with the two pilots that were making this trip possible. Just then, a non-human Jedi popped up on our screen that served as a communicator with the medical station. "We are ready for our jump, Master Fisto," Barriss reported to the alien.

Now I recognized him, he was Jedi Master Kit Fisto. He was the master of _Shii-cho_, a version of lightsaber combat taught to younglings when they first start using a lightsaber. "Good," he said in a different accent. "I look forward to your arrival."

The transmission was cut as the familiarity of dots of starts turning to lines and suddenly finding myself in a hyperspace window that was propelling me across the galaxy.

"I'll never get tired of that," I said to Barriss and Ahsoka as we walked out of the bridge. "But I get tired from other things, like not sleeping for two days strait."

"I agree," Barriss replied. "Let's go get some rest."

I nodded as we led ourselves to the bunks that were close to the clone's barracks. There were only two bunks that were in the room. I guess the designers didn't have three Jedi apprentices in mind when the deigned the ship. "I'll sleep sitting against the wall," I offered. "Can't be as bad as a Geonosian queen trying to control you from the inside out. Right?"

"No," Ahsoka said. "You need you rest. You chose to go on that mission that would have worn us out. You need rest no matter what."

I nodded at her. I agreed that I needed rest, but I wasn't going to deprive Ahsoka of her much needed rest anytime soon. I leaned myself against the durasteel wall and slid my back down slowly, closing my eyes along the way. I soon found myself in a deep sleep. About two seconds later…or about two hours I didn't know, Ahsoka tapped into my brain. _Are you asleep_? She asked me.

_Yes, Ahsoka_, I replied. _I am asleep_.

_Well_, she said. _I want to share a dream with you_.

I was surprised. _You know how to do that_? I asked her.

_Not personally_, she replied. _But I'm sure we can figure it out together_.

_Okay,_ I replied. I joined my mind with hers and our subconscious minds. We let our outside thoughts surrender and we where were ever we were. We both found ourselves…on Naboo? Yes, I'm pretty sure it was Naboo. We were surrounded by waterfalls and on a little island in the middle of it all. We where both sitting on a blanket in the middle of a flower field. I lied down on the blanket and Ahsoka followed. We embraced each other for about a minute. Before we heard a combination of a growl and a roar. I got up as fast as I could to see what was going on. I turned my head to see what was there; it was an animal with a large abdomen and a small head. Ahsoka got up and looked at the animal I was looking at.

"What the hell is that?" I asked Ahsoka.

"I don't know," she replied.

I looked at the animal and noticed how it crouched. I looked down at her into her blue eyes. "I bet you I can ride it," I said to her.

"Don't try it," she replied.

"Hey, remember," I explained. "This is a dream, I won't get hurt."

I walked slowly over to one that was grazing on the grass bellow. Slowly, I used the Force to tap into its mind. I calmed it down just enough for me to Force-jump onto its back. I immediately lost contact with it mind and the beast went wild. It tired to buck me off before it finally succeeded. It trampled over my body hurting every part of it…but only in subconscious. I decided to play it out. I got up with my arms shaking then collapsed again.

Ahsoka was worried, I could tell. "Jadin?" she asked running over to where I was. "Jadin?"

She turned me over. I started laughing as she started to hit me. I was still laughing and so was she. I tried to get her off of me but we ended rolling in the grass for sometime before we came to a stop. She was still on top of me. We were chuckling a little before we stopped and looked up into each other's eyes.

I then heard a sound of a Starfighter flying over us. I looked up to see it was a droid fighter. Then, up even higher, it was a Separatist frigate that was in orbit. I saw flashed of light come from it. That could mean only one thing. The Separatist were orbital striking Naboo.

The island that Ahsoka and I were on was now engulfed in flames and explosions. It wasn't for a while before Ahsoka and I would die along with most of the Naboo population. I turned to Ahsoka and she was almost to tears. "We have to shut down the connection!" I shouted above the explosions. Ahsoka nodded back and we both closed our eyes. I opened them again…but I could still hear the explosions. Ahsoka opened her eyes too noticing what I noticed. We were stuck here until death.

I reached out to her and took her hand. This all felt like it was happening in slow motion. She turned and grasped my free hand. She and I stared into each other's eyes. I leaned down to kiss her but just before my lips touched hers, an orbital strike shell hit to the left of us. She and I flew further away from each other. I crawled for her…I was bleeding through my tunic onto the ground, creating puddles behind me.

I got to Ahsoka; she was bleeding out of her leg with a tremendous gash on the side of her left leg. She was about to bleed out fully. She was hyperventilating, suffering from the pain from the gash. I reached out to the Force to try and heal her. But her wound was to big. There was only one way to ease the pain for her…

I reached for my belt and grabbed my lightsaber. I hit the activator and the blue blade shot out. "I'm sorry…Ahsoka," I said letting the tears roll down my eyes. I knelt with all my might and thrust the lightsaber through her heart…killing her instantly. I deactivated the saber and threw it away…and died, alongside the only thing in this galaxy that mattered to me…

I woke up almost instantly and found that I was in a cold sweat. I was breathing hard. I looked back at her. She was up and had the sight of horror on her eyes. I looked over at Barriss, who was laying face up. "What," she said calmly. "What is it?"

"Bad dream," I explained to her. "It's a big change from all the fighting from the last few days."

"You too should enjoy this peace while it lasts," Barriss turned around waking up.

"I can't," Ahsoka said.

"Neither can I," I added. "Let's go eat."

**AN: And there is Chapter 13. I decided not to write another 6,000 word chapter instead I cut "Brain Invaders" in half…(haha that was punny). Anyways, tell me how I did working on this chapter. I put a little Attack of the Clones homage to the chapter in case any of you didn't notice. But I am now starting to work on chapter 14. I might have made a slight miscalculation when I said "A few more chapters," I guess my kind of few means 2-6 but I'm not sure yet. Again ****Thanks for taking you time to reading this chapter. Review Please! I want to know how I did.**


	14. Brain Invaders

**AN: Sorry about last chapter being so short. But this one will be longer I assure you. If I added this chapter and chapter 13, it would all add up to 7250ish words longer than the last one. And in order to update sooner, I decided to shorten them to 6000 tops maybe 100-500 give or take but I don't think the next few chapters will be that long. Sorry again, I just wanted to get that chapter in for people to take in what happened in the shared dream. Anyways, I present to you Chapter 14: ****Read and Review **_**Gedet'ye (**__**Please**_** in Mandalorian).**

I got up off the floor and Ahsoka and Barriss followed. We walked to the mess hall down a couple of hallways. Thank goodness this was a small ship and I didn't have to walk far. Most of the clones themselves were getting rest.

"So," Barriss asked me. "What were the dreams about?" she asked both of us.

"Mine was of Mandalore being taken control by the Separatists," I lied.

"Mine was of Shili being taken," Ahsoka lied also. Shili was the home world of the Togrutas, hence Ahsoka's fear of it being taken.

"You both know that you can't hide your thoughts from a healer," Barriss replied with a smile on her face. "You two shared a dream together, intentionally."

I looked at Ahsoka who was more surprised than me. Barriss knew of my relationship with Ahsoka. "Okay, you caught us," I said to her. "Are you going to report us to the Counsel now?"

Barriss shook her head. "I have never seen attachment this strong between Jedi before," she said. "I doubt that anything the Counsel does besides killing either one of you would break you two apart."

"I don't think the Counsel would kill of two of their own," Ahsoka said. "I'm begging you, Barriss. If anyone else figures out about this, we are doomed as a couple. The Counsel would split us up for good…maybe even expel us from the Order entirely."

"My lips," Barriss said locking her mouth with an invisible key. "Are sealed."

"It can't just be your lips," I said to her stopping at a hallway junction. "You have to shut your _shabla_ mind up too. If anything about us comes up, you have to project the feeling of us only being apprentice-apprentice relationship. Do that or don't even talk about us at all."

Barriss nodded. We were her friends and I doubt that she liked my thinking of blocking us out of her mind for the rest of Ahsoka's and my relationship. Even if we were just friends.

Before we started walking again, I looked down the hall to see a clone in full armor, carrying a backpack on his back. He turned into the barracks and I caught a glimpse of what was in his backpack…green detonators? Maybe he was an environmentally friendly demolitions expert? I didn't know, some clones where nut jobs that was for sure.

I continued walking with Ahsoka and Barriss before we got to the mess. No one was there, not even the hungered clones that where there eating the ship clean. We got our food and left for one of the tables and started eating. We were silent most of the time. Barriss tried to start some conversation…go thing she was a healer and had experience with starting them.

"So," she started. "Why are you two so quiet?"

I looked at Ahsoka. I had no reason for being quiet. I like silence and the blowing up of buildings. Ahsoka had a reason. "I was just thinking about what you said earlier," she said. "About enjoying the peace while it lasts. As a Jedi, I'm not sure I know how to do that," she finished and took another bite out of her food.

"Master Windu has said we are keepers of the peace," Barriss explained. "Not warriors."

I choked a bit on my food trying to get the fact by that I was a Mandalorian myself: the true warriors of the galaxy. "Except for some who have the pure blood of a warrior."

"True," Barriss said but continued what she was saying anyway. "However when the war is over it will be our job to maintain the peace."

"I know that," I said. "But will we do this as warriors or keepers of the peace. And in my point of view, what the hell is the difference?"

"I don't have all the answers," Barriss replied. "Like you I'm a learner. What does your master tell you?"

Ahsoka and I both looked at each other. "Let's just say our master will always do what needs to be done. I'm not even sure peace time will agree with him either."

Just then, the door opened to the mess hall. Two clones where in full armor and grasping blasters. Barriss turned around to look at them.

"Evening Ox," Ahsoka greeted them. "Edge, would you like to join us?"

Ox and Edge only stared at us with gleaming eyes…something didn't feel right about this. I reached for the grip of my lightsaber. "Is something wrong troopers?" I asked them and unhooked my lightsaber from my belt.

The two clones came in through the door and started to open fire on us. We all activated our lightsabers and started deflecting there fire back at the clones. I didn't want to kill any of them; they were people and not just droids that were expendable. Ahsoka flipped over the table knocking it over. Barriss and I rolled over the side to take cover. "Troopers!" Ahsoka shouted. "Stand down!"

The one named Ox reached over and tried to sneak up on us but was uncessesfull by Barriss when she sliced the DC-15 in two halves and hit the trooper in the chest and forced him back. Edge came over to help Ox but was pushed back by me with a good Force-push, knocking both of them unconscious. Ahsoka, Barriss and I walked over to the unconscious troops. I decided not to keep my back towards the door to prevent any more surprises.

Just then the door opened to revile two more troops. One was the commander of all the troops on the ship. I Force-sped behind the two and grabbed the commander while Ahsoka and Barriss took the other. I put my blue blade to the throat but just so that I could get a clean slice if I needed too.

"What are you doing?" Trap, the commander, said.

"Two clones just attacked us," I explained. "What the _shab_ is going on?"

"I don't know, Commander," Trap replied. "We're just as confused as—"

"You are in charge of those men!" Barriss pointed out. "Did you order them to kill us?"

"No, sir," Trap confessed. "I did not."

"What's happening?" Ahsoka asked. "Why would they do this?"

"We don't know," the other trooper replied looking back at his lead brother. "We heard shots."

Trap nodded with a smile on his face but was careful not to touch my blade. "Why the hell should we believe you, _shabuir_."

"Look," Trap said lifting his weapon up in the sky and throwing it across the room. "No guns."

The other clone put his blaster down slowly to prevent a misfire. The other apprentices and I deactivated our sabers. "These men wouldn't just attack us without reason," Barriss explained.

"My master had a clone betray them once," Ahsoka told everyone. "A traitor who was paid off by Ventress."

"I don't think it's that simple," I suggested walking over to the unconscious clones. "It didn't feel like a mutiny."

"Excuse me, sir," Trap said. "We should make sure we have control of the bridge."

Barriss dialed the bridge pilots. "Bridge, this is Barriss. Respond."

There was nothing but static. "We have to get up there," I said. "We need to find out what's going on."

"But these two will be coming around any minute," Barriss explained.

I just rolled my eyes and walked over to the clones. I took the palm of my lightsaber and knocked it against their heads, making them bleed from the back of their heads. They collapsed even more this time. "Just to let you all know," I explained. "I hated doing that."

"Havoc can watch them until we can check on the bridge," Trap suggested.

"Okay," Ahsoka replied. "Let's go."

Trap grabbed his blaster and ran through the door along with Barriss, Ahsoka and I. We headed to the bridge threw a couple of hallways before we got to the one leading the bridge. Before I reached inside the hallway. A red particle shield appeared right in front of me. I stumbled back a little. "Someone doesn't want us getting to the bridge anytime soon."

Barriss walked over to a control console. "I'll attempt to override the controls," Barriss said and started pulling out the console to rearrange the wires. A moment later, I heard the squeaking of Katarn armor when lifting something.

I turned around to see Trap holding a blaster at Barriss. He didn't want us on the bridge either. I activate my lightsaber and blocked the few shots that came out of his blaster before it was sliced in half. He growled at me…it sounded vaguely like Geonosian. He lunged on me and forced me back to the wall. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. His mouth opened…and a green worm came out of it. The same worm that was about to be put in Luminara back at the Progate Temple.

It was trying to get inside my body. To take control of me. I griped the lightsaber back into my hand and stabbed the clone with the blue blade. "He's infected!" Barriss shouted. The worm came out threw his mouth and onto my robes.

"Get this _di'kula _thing off of me!" I shouted and threw the worm away from me. Ahsoka activated her lightsaber and sliced the worm in half.

Ahsoka cringed. "Euhhh! What is that?"

"It looks like some type of parasite," Barriss suggested. "It must be controlling their actions."

"Yeahh," I said sarcastically. "That's called mind control."

"Well that explains a lot," Ahsoka confessed. "Trap was my friend. He would've never tried to kill us. How did these things get on the ship anyway?"

"The Progate Temple was filled with these when I got there," I explained. "It's possible the survivors multiplied and infected one of the troops."

"We'll have to quarantine the ship," Ahsoka said kneeling down to examine her half of the worm.

"I'll try to contact Master Fisto," Barriss offered. "And let him about the situation."

"I'll go with Ahsoka," I said and ran off to our main systems. "Let's go!"

We ran down the hall to the left then to the right, until we got to the supply hanger when we heard a bunch of random clicks. "That sound?" Barriss said. "It's—"

"Geonosian," Ahsoka and I said simultaneously. The clicks kept coming louder and louder as we got closer. We got to the entrance to see what was happening. Seven clones…and Havoc was there too! That _shabuir_ was infected too. He was the one speaking Geonosian. There were two infected clones holding one down. As far as I could tell, he wasn't infected. Havoc held the green egg up to the uninfected clone. "We have to help him," I suggested.

But the worm had already entered in though his nose and into his brain. "It's too late," Barriss said solemnly. The clone's eyes rolled into the back of his head and his struggling stopped. I turned around to see a clone firing his blaster from behind us. I ignited my lightsaber and blocked off the shots. We were forced into the supply room with all the other clones.

Havoc brought up three worm eggs to us. We reached out using the Force to grab and pull them towards us. We cut each one of them in half. And that pissed them off big time.

They howled like Geonosians and started shooting us with their blasters. Barriss griped some heavy crates and brought them down on the infected. Two were left to face us plus the one behind us. Ahsoka deflected a blast from the one behind and hit him square in the chest killing him. We ran over to find cover from the remaining clones. I looked for anyway to get out of here, or else we wouldn't be Barriss, Ahsoka, and Jadin anymore.

I gazed up and saw the ventilation system. It could fit us all and still have room to spare. "Barriss, Ahsoka!" I shouted over the blasts. "Let's go for the vents."

We deactivated our lightsabers and started jumping from crate to crate avoiding any blaster bolts from hitting us. We got to the support beam and onto the walkway above. I pulled the grate to filter the ventilated air which landed in front of the clones, distracting them enough just to get away. We crawled along the grates getting as far away from the concentration of clones as possible.

But the main fact was to stop these worms once and for all. On one vent, we could see that the rest of the military clones where making their way towards the supply room to invade the medical station when we docked. "I'll go to the reactor room and disable the thrusters," Barriss said. "You two go to the aft comms center and send a warning to Master Fisto. We have to stop the ship from reaching the medical station."

The rest of the clones where already in the room when we decided it was safe to move again. "I don't know Barriss," Ahsoka replied to the plan. "I think we all should stick together."

"So do I," I said taking Barriss's answer. "But I'm not sure that's a luxury we have right now. We are in a _vent_ for crying out loud."

"One of us must succeed, Ahsoka," Barriss continued. "If you need to, you'll do what must be done. I know it."

"I do to," I said. "And that's why I'm going with you."

"Yes, of course," Ahsoka agreed. "Then we'll see you soon."

Ahsoka and I crawled in one direction while Barriss went in the other. After a few turns later, we got to the comms center. Ahsoka activated the communicator and sent out the transmission to Ord Cestus. A clone with a white uniform answered and called Master Fisto over. Ahsoka and I explained about the problem that we faced. "As long as these things are on board," I started. "We dare not dock with the medical station."

"_You must bring the ship in_," Kit Fisto urged. "_The only way we can stop these parasites is to analyze them._"

"You don't understand how terrible these things are," Ahsoka explained. "What if they get loose?"

"_We will take precautions_," Fisto replied.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Master Fisto," I retorted. "But we will follow your instructions."

"_Very good_," Fisto said. "Medical Station out."

The transmission was cut off and I got up and search around for a blaster of some kind to protect us from long range. As I was searching, I had a feeling of dread that was amplified through the force. As if a voice suddenly cried out…but was suddenly silenced. "Did you feel that?" I asked Ahsoka.

She nodded. "It's Barriss."

"We have to help her," I urged Ahsoka. I had looked in a spare closet room that reveled and DC-15s sidearm blaster that I favored in my first mission to Geonosis.

"We can't right now," Ahsoka replied entering in another communications address. "The only thing we can do is contact Anakin for help against these worms."

I looked down and considered what we were up against. A ship full of well trained clones that could apparently bring down a Jedi. "Your right," I finally said. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Stand there and look pretty," she responded with a smile on her face.

I shook my head with a smile as I was beside Ahsoka as she boosted the signal of the transmission. "Almost got it," she assumed. A moment later, Rex's face showed up on the screen.

"_Cargo ship TB-73_, _this is Clone Capitan Rex_," he said. "_Please respond._"

"Rex, this is Ahsoka and Jadin" I uttered. "Boy, am I glad to hear your voice.."

"_Like wise, sir_," Rex responded. "_There is someone here who wants to speak with you_."

Anakin walked up from the right of the screen to talk to us. "_Ahsoka, Jadin. What's going on_? _Are you two okay?_"

"Well," I started.

"Not exactly," Ahsoka finished for me. This time I explained what happened with the worms and how they had come onto the ship back on Geonosis. Ahsoka finished by telling the plan that we had established on how to stop the ship from reaching Ord Cestus.

"_Okay,_" Anakin said. "_Ahsoka, these worms have abilities that can control your mind without you even knowing. Please use caution. Set your wrist comms to this frequency so we can keep in contact._" Ahsoka and I activated out comlinks and set them to the Medical Stations frequency and the _Resolute's_. "_I'm going to try to interrogate Poggle, he might have some answers_. _Find Barriss and wait for my signal_."

Ahsoka and I nodded and cut off the transmission. I was about to get up before I notice a figure in behind the navigational charts. It was Barriss, she was alright after all. "Barriss, your back," I pointed out to Ahsoka as she looked where I was looking. "Were you successful?"

But Barriss didn't reply, she just stood there with the glare in her eyes. "Barriss…" I started. "What's wrong?"

She held her hand forward. "Barriss, no!" I shouted at her. But she pushed the glass navigational charts using the Force to shatter it at Ahsoka and I. We held our hands up and blocked any shrapnel from hitting our bodies.

"Barriss, I'm you friend," I started to talk. How could they have captured a Jedi long enough to put a worm in her head?

"Barriss," Ahsoka added. "Snap out of it!"

Barriss reached for her lightsaber and ignited the blade. It shot out in an unfamiliar sound and lunged at Ahsoka and I over the broken glass. I intercepted her blue blade with mine. "Barriss, it's not you, it's the creatures. Ahsoka run!"

Barriss's look didn't shake. I lifted my foot up, keeping in the saberlock, and kicked her square in the gut with all the force I could manage. Ahsoka and I ran out of the comms center and into the hallways, leaving Zombie Barriss stunned, but only for a few. She almost immediately got up and started chasing us. Ahsoka and I slid at a turn into another hallway. I looked back and saw Barriss raise her hand again and knocked both Ahsoka and I into the walls at the end of the hall. Ahsoka now activate her blade to intercept Barriss's. She pushed her back and flipped to get out of the corner.

This time I brought my lightsaber out and started fighting Barriss with Ahsoka. Barriss slashed for my head, but I blocked it with ease. She then went for Ahsoka but blocked it the same way. She alternated blows from left side of the head to the right side using only one hand. Ahsoka and I found out that we were backing up down the hall. Barriss tried to go for my side this time, I flipped my lightsaber into the reverse grip that Ahsoka favors and blocked the blow. She then tried to thrust at Ahsoka but she dodged and ducked under another head strike and leg swiped Barriss as I knocked her with the hilt of my lightsaber. Getting her even more dazed. Ahsoka and I ran around the corner to jump back into the vent before Barriss could get to us. Barriss kept running in the direction that we were going. Ahsoka close the vent and we were free from Barriss. A patrol of clones came under us.

Ahsoka sent off a communication towards the _Resolute_. "This is Ahsoka, come in."

Anakin was there to answer her call. "_Ahsoka, Jadin, listen to me,_" he started. "_The worms are affected by the cold._"

"Cold?" I questioned. "That's how we stop them, no goofy side affects?"

"_Rupture the coolant—_" Anakin started to say, but Ahsoka covered up the speaker to avoid detection from a zombie clone. We jumped back from the opening and waited for him to leave. Once he did, Anakin continued talking. "_Did you hear me? Rupture the coolant system."_

"The coolant system," Ahsoka acknowledged. "Got it."

Ahsoka removed the grate and jumped down into the hallway bellow. I followed checking our six for any others. We moved forward hoping that we wouldn't run into zombie Barriss again. We got to a door and Ahsoka opened it. She probably knew this ship better than me. The room was filled with the three air conditioning systems that transferred clean fresh air throughout the ship. Ahsoka and I went to the control console in the center of the room. Ahsoka pressed a bunch of random buttons that just to me looked shiny. She ended up going around the entire thing and pulled down one lever to release frozen air all over the ship. It was already starting to get cold.

Just then, the ship came out of hyperspace. We had reached Ord Cestus quicker than I thought. Ahsoka and I thought this was the best time to get to the bridge since most of the worms where probably already dyeing. We ran through the hallway as fast as we could…the bridge was just above the vent where we stopped. And I wish we didn't. The cold was starting to get to Ahsoka and I. She was shivering her bones off almost. I started to shiver too but not as severely. A moment later, I heard a voice from behind me…it was Zombie Barriss.

"There you are!" she shouted at us in a raspy voice. "You can't hide from me!"

I turned around to see that she had her lightsaber already activated and running towards us. I pulled out mine and the blue blade sprung from the crystal chamber. Ahsoka jumped up into the vent. I gathered up my strength and sent out a big Force-push knocking Barriss unconscious and onto the wall on the side.

"S-sorry B-barriss," I stuttered from the cold. "But it's the bug I m-meant to g-get."

I jumped up and followed Ahsoka through the vents. And in the general direction of the bridge. Once we crawled through the vents and got to an access hatch, I lifted it up to reveal that we were at the entrance to the bridge. "The bridge," Ahsoka said relived. "At last."

She opened the door to the pilot's seat and closed the door. I took the pilots seat and see where we stood in terms of crashing into the medical stations or not. "We're coming in to hot!" I reported to Fisto, no doubt the communications where destroyed but it didn't hurt to try.

"That's weird to say when your _freezing_!" Ahsoka shouted at me. "I'll try to shut off the engines."

At that point in time, I heard the hum of a lightsaber from behind and moved out of the pilot's chair only to see the control yoke destroyed. _Damn it, you stupid bug_! I said to myself. The coolant valves that lead to the bridge ruptured and were releasing more frozen air into the bridge. As if it wasn't cold already.

"The controls are f-fried!" Ahsoka shouted at me. "I c-cant shut of the eng-gines." She suddenly stopped talking, I feared the worst.

Barriss kept on slicing at me using only one hand. I don't think the parasite knew much about lightsaber combat let alone the Force itself. I grabbed her head and knocked it on the console closest to her. She got up, I grabbed her head, and brought it down on my knee. She got up dazed and confused, now was my chance. I got the ruptured coolant valve and aimed it right at Barriss. I heard a combination of Barriss's scream and the worm's. She collapsed on the ground and I sloped down the back of the seat.

"Kill me," Barriss's voice said. "Please. Your secret will die with me."

"I can't kill a friend," I replied. I got up to see what was going on outside the bridge, I turned to the left to see Ahsoka passed out. But when I turned back around, Zombie Barriss was back and her parasite was trying to find another host. The parasite came out of her mouth trying to find its way into my mind. "No way, bitch!" I said to the worm and kicked Barriss square in the face. It tried to come back at me again but I kicked it away. I turned towards it and activated my lightsaber. The blue blade struck out and Barriss lay on the floor with the worm half out of her. Barriss looked up at me and the worm struggled to stay alive. She then grabbed her head, I hesitated at first, but I choose and acted.

My thumb found the crystal changer and pressed it. The silver blade shot out and stabbed the parasite, just barely missing the head of Barriss. I took Barriss's body and Ahsoka and huddled together to keep me from passing out. I favored Ahsoka a little bit more, I wanted her to wake up to see that we were alive. I started stroking her lekku, she woke up slowly to see what was going on. Once she found out she was in my arms…and that we were alive, she reached her head up to me and kissed my lips. I kissed her back until I felt a presence of a Jedi. It was Master Fisto. I broke the kiss and put the lid I hated so much on my feelings. But in order to keep our relationship going, we had to hide our love from any members of the Jedi order that we didn't trust…especially the Counsel.

The door to the bridge opened and revealed Master Fisto and two other clones. I greeted him. "H-hi M-master Fisto, We're ready to pick up the s-supplies."

He grabbed my shoulder. "We'll take it from here. You rest now, Jadin."

I closed my eyes and fell unconscious. Finally, after two days without rest, I could get some much needed sleep.

The next thing I knew, I was screaming and in a cold sweat. "What the—" I stuttered getting up out of my bed. Wait, a bed? I was at the medical station.

I discovered that Anakin was holding my shoulder. "It's all right, Jadin, It's okay," he said trying to calm me down. "You're safe."

I finally calmed down. "An-and Ahsoka?" I asked my master.

"Ahsoka is fine," he reported. "And so is Barriss. Thankful to your efforts. And so are the clones."

"Where those the same things we found on Geonosis?" I asked him lying back down.

"Yes they are," I heard the voice of Master Fisto said. "If they can spread that fast…well—"

"They could tell how they recaptured the planet," I explained. "I would love that not to happen again."

Kit turned towards me. "You've been through quite an ordeal, little one," he said sincerely to me.

"When your Mandalorian, I guess people expect a hell of a lot more from you," I said with a smile.

Kit chuckled along with me. I guess the Jedi didn't care if I was Mandalorian. They treat everyone equally, even warriors. I turned my head back to Anakin. "Master Skywalker, may I have a word?"

Master Fisto looked at Anakin who nodded as the alien Jedi went outside. "Master," I began. "On the ship, Barriss was gone. She wanted me to kill her, she told me—"

"But you couldn't do it?" Anakin asked me.

"No, no I couldn't. But should I have?" I asked the young master. "It worked out this time. But what if we failed. I've seen those worms in action; they can't be beaten by conventional means. And I don't think rupturing the coolant system on a medical station is possible without killing countless clones that spend most of the war in bacta."

"Jadin," Anakin started. "It's your duty to save as many lives as you can. Your Mandalorian background gives you an advantage. Barriss knew you could save thousands of lives if the worms where destroyed. Which she thought meant destroying her too. But you and Ahsoka did the right thing. You two knew the freezing cold would kill the worms."

I looked over at the two young apprentices that were to the left of me on similar beds, passed out. "Letting go of our attachments is a difficult struggle for all of us. You followed your instincts and cut the worm and not Barriss. I'm sure they both would agree that you made the right choice."

Anakin walked out to let me rest. _Letting go of our attachments is a difficult struggle for all of us_. What did he mean by that? I know letting Ahsoka dyeing is difficult with every dream of mine. He seemed to hint a clue into that. Like he had someone else in his life…just like Ahsoka was to me.

It didn't matter right now. We were safe, all of us. I rolled over to gaze at the _Resolute_ in orbit around the medical frigate. _Thank you, father_, I said to my dad through the Force. He appeared in front of me with his sand gold armor.

"_Jad'ika,_" he said to me. "_I am so proud of you; you have become a great warrior_. _This is why I want you to expand your knowledge on Mandalorian Culture. I have a friend in the Grand Army of the Republic that can help you out with that. His name is Kal Skirata_. _He works with Delta Squad of the Special Forces brigade. Go to him and tell him Autre Ravis sends his son to you_. _He will understand_. _And with these words, I leave you, Jad'ika._"

I had tears forming in my eyes. "_Re'turcye mhi, Autre'buir_,"(Maybe we'll see each other again, Papa Autre) I said to my father as he vanished revealing the star-studded background of space…

**AN: That last part was probably my favorite thing to write so far. So, enter the Skirata Clan. Well I bet it was kind of obvious, where ever there is Mandalorians. Kal and his Nulls always have to become the characters to look at. Anyways, tell me what you think of this chapter, ****Review**** and say whatever you wanna say. Thanks again for taking your time to read this. **_**Re'tucye mhi**_**! (DUCES!)**


	15. Assembling A Team

**AN: I'm back! Finally, after a seemingly long summer, fall, and yes, winter writing break, ****The Forbidden**** is back. I have been hand writing down the final chapters and am now willing to get them out there. Thank you all for the reviews throughout last summer. ****Read and Review****. Thanks again. Read on and thanks for coming back :). To refresh, this was after the long, hard battle that was fought between the Separatists and the Republic. Our Jedi are finally back home…**

Geonosis was bad…bad beyond belief…So bad, that I was passed out for a week. And in that week apparently, I had been brought back to the Jedi Temple. I felt like I had woken up from a bad dream. Ahsoka came into my room and told me the whole story about my transportation to Coruscant. Luckily people didn't think I was dead. What can I say, I was tired.

It was good to see Ahsoka in good health. Anakin had gone away to my family's home world, Mandalore, to assist in the escort of the Duchess of Mandalore safely to Coruscant. I couldn't believe that I had been out for that long.

"I was out for that long?" I asked Ahsoka again not believing her tales. "The last thing I remembered was talking to Anakin about..." I paused and looked at Ahsoka. She stared back at me. "Attachments."

"Did you tell him about us?" Ahsoka asked.

I shook my head. "He just told me that letting go of attachments is a difficult thing for all of us," I said. "But I can't let go of you," I told Ahsoka getting up from my bed and grasping her in a hug.

Ahsoka hugged me back. "Thank the Force you're still here," she said. "I was starting to think that you weren't coming back. The healers said you would be fine as long as you got some rest. But I started not to believe them…I've spent most of my time here looking over you."

I released from the hug and looked back at Ahsoka. "What did the healers do?"

"They just ran some tests and that was it," Ahsoka explained. "Why?"

I was worried now. "Did they try to enter my mind at all?" I asked.

"As a matter of fact, they tried," she said. "They couldn't break the wall you had built up by being in the coma."

I took a small breath of relief. I was happy to figure out that they hadn't discovered Ahsoka and me. I finally remembered what I had found out before I passed out into the coma. "Do you know where the Special Forces HQ is?"

Ahsoka looked confused again. "What do the special forces have with this?"

"Nothing," I replied. "My father came to me through the Force just before I went into the coma. He told me I was becoming a great warrior. A Mandalorian Warrior."

Ahsoka nodded and allowed me to continue. "All the Mandalorians who are still warriors have most likely have joined the Separatists' cause. The only one that my father trusted was the one name Kal Skirata. He is currently in league with the Special Operations Brigade. He is in command of some Null-class ARC troopers I think. My father wants me to learn more about Mandalorian culture with him."

Ahsoka understood what I had to do. "Go, you need to learn about your past if you are to survive the rest of this war. Go to the Arca Company Barracks, there you will find the Null-ARCs. And possibly the Kal Skirata you speak of."

I nodded to her and grabbed my things, including my lightsaber belt along with the DC-15 sidearm. I looked back at Ahsoka who was just staring down at the floor. "What's wrong?" I asked her, strapping on my belt and putting on my pitch black cloak along with my black tunic and pants.

"You just got here," she said with her voice cracking a little. "Mentally speaking anyways. Now I'm expected to stay here while you go off again and have a risk of not coming back."

I finished putting on my clothes and stared back at her. "I have to do this. The more I know about the Mandalorians, the more I know about myself. I swear, that image I planted into your dreams about us being on a planet together, alone for the entire week, will be fulfilled."

"I meant to talk to you about that also…" she continued. "I had another dream about Naboo again. I'm not so sure it's just a dream anymore."

I was surprised. Normally dreams are just dreams, but when you're a Jedi: things are never what they seem. "You think it's a vision of the future," I answered.

She nodded at me. "I think that when our subconscious's bonded, we were able to see into the future much clearer. I think that the CIS is planning an attack on Naboo."

This was significant. Naboo is one of the major Republic capital cities. Not to mention, that they have no military outpost there to prevent against any attack. "That makes sense. Have you told anyone about this?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "I've thought about it the last week. I don't trust any of the Counsel to tell this too. I think we need to gather up Jedi that we trust; someone our age to go after something this big."

I nodded at her. "We also have to trust them with finding out between you and me," I said. "If you don't trust them with that, then don't include them. We'll arrange for them to come here and request for a lightsaber competition…those who can beat you and I will be included."

Ahsoka nodded. "I'll gather up some while you are away," she suggested.

"Go ahead," I went over to her side and helped her up. "I'll be back here by 1100 at night."

"Okay," she leaned forward and kissed me. I kissed her back for a few more seconds before breaking the kiss. "Stay out of trouble," she said with a smile on her face. "I know for a fact that Mandalorians are reckless."

"Only when they just had a drink," I replied. "I think it would be best for you to leave first."

"I will," she said and got out of my room. I soon followed heading for the hanger to see what was to offer.

There were numerous air speeders that could take me to Arca Company Barracks in no time. But I choose a random one and sped off without hesitation.

About an hour later, I had finally arrived at the Barracks. Didn't look like a place where a battle hardened Mandalorian Warrior would hang out, but it was where the Clone Commandos where. If I had to guess, I would say that Skirata is in there right now with his Nulls eating uj cake. But it was just a guess.

I walked in telling the clones who were guarding out front that I was Commander Jadin and I was here on special assignment. The next thing I knew was that I was being lifted by turbolift to where I wanted to go. It had Commanding Officer on one of the buttons, so I pressed it and it sent me straight to the big boss himself. I got out of the turbolift and entered through the door. I didn't notice the person sitting at the desk, but I knew he was a Jedi. A master to be exact.

"Hello, youngling," he said in a polite tone. "How may I help you?"

I found out just then that I hated being called youngling. "I'm looking for Kal Skirata."

"Now why would you want to know where he is?" the master asked me.

"Because I want to know where he is, Master—" I waited for the Jedi to finish my sentence for me.

"Zey," he replied. "General Arligan Zey."

"Pleasure to meet you, Master Zey," I said with a deep, respectful bow. "I am Padawan Jadin Ravis. I am Anakin Skywalker's Padawan."

"I figured that's who you where," the General said getting up from his chair. "The Mandalorian Jedi. Yeah, I have heard about you. Almost every Jedi in the order has."

"Well, when your master is the only one ever to have two apprentices, it gets some publicity," I said. The general chuckled.

"True, true," he said. "So you said you were looking for Sergeant Kal?"

"That is right," I replied with a nod of my head.

"He is actually out in the city with his squad," the General reported.

"Oh," I said disappointed. "Well then, could you tell him that Autre Ravis's son dropped by?"

The old master nodded as I left away back towards the temple. Then the though just hit me…Zey seemed very suspicious about my relation with Skirata. I jumped in my speeder and was about to power it up. Then I decided to scan the building for anything out of the ordinary using the Force. After a sweep or two…I found what I was looking for, it was a source that manifested a darkness but still held onto something light. I was sure that this was Kal Skirata. I got out of my speeder and ran back inside the barracks. The two clones tried to stop me but were unsuccessful. I sped past them and went to the turbolift. I entered in the floor where I detected the manifest. The door opened to reveal two clones in completely different armor than normal clones. This armor looked thicker and could take a punch. I continued though…past the showers and past the mess into a room at the end of the hallway. I turned back around to see if anyone was following and I saw the same two clones that where trying to stop me at the entrance. I ran into the door and found that the lights were turned on but no one was home…at least that's what I thought before a blaster was pointed at my head.

The room's door opened again to show the clones that grabbed me by the shoulders and put my hands behind my back causing me immense pain. I turned my head to see who was pointing the blaster at me. He was an elderly man with sand gold Mandalorian armor, the same as my father's. I knew right then, that this was Kal Skirata. "What the _haran_ are you doing here, son?" he asked me.

"Autre Ravis," I managed to say over the pain over the clones submission hold.

"Wait!" Skirata said to the clones. They released their grip on my arms. "What did you say?"

I took in a breath. "Autre Ravis sends his son to you," I said. Kal lowered his blaster and threw it on the ground.

"Get out," he ordered the clones. They did as they were asked. Kal turned my shoulders towards me to get a good look at my face. "Jadin?" he asked me. I guess he knew me after all.

I nodded at him. "Autre is my father, correct?" I asked the old Sergeant.

"Yes," Kal said. "You've grown since the last time I saw you."

"And when was that?" I asked.

"When you were born," he replied. He got a look at my outfit and saw what was dangling from my belt. "So you're a Jedi now, huh?"

"Yes, the only _Mando'ad_ one alive," I said. "My father sent me here, it's because I'm a Jedi that I was brought here."

"I always knew your father would go to _manda_," Kal said. "So I take it you have become quite the warrior?"

I nodded. "At least that is what _Autre'buir _said to me."

"Now he want me to teach you about the _Mando'ade_ am I correct?" Kal questioned.

I nodded once more. "We could start know or you can keep asking questions," I said. He laughed in return.

"You are just like your _buir_, Jadin," he said. "Yes, we'll start, but first. You must meet my boys."

"Your kids?" I asked him. Kal shook his head.

"My son's yes, but I adopted them through the Mandalorian way," he explained. "_Mando'ade_ can have kids, but adopting one is just as symbolic. You might have heard of the Null-ARCs that are currently in use in the GAR?"

I nodded. "Well they are all my sons," Kal said. "I adopted every last one of them."

"Why would you do that?" I asked. Kal sat down and started explaining about the Mandalorian way of adoption.

"Adoption is extremely common in our culture, even adoption of adults," Kal started out. "Because of our constant connection to war, widows and orphans became an inescapable fact of life. In my case, I had a wife and three kids. She was a non-_Mando'ade _I had met in a Corelian nightclub. We got married and had three kids," Kal was starting to form tears in his eyes. "Once I started to try and teach my sons about our way of life. She took them from me and left me."

Kal was crying a little now. He rubbed the tears away from his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said to me.

"I get it, Kal," I said empathetically. My mother must have felt the same way when my father had died. "So where do the Nulls fit into this?"

"I adopted them when I was first brought to Kamino to train the clone commandos. The Nulls where the first batch of clones that were used as a template for the second cloning. The Kaminoan technicians considered them failures that would be destroyed. One tried to defend himself and his brothers by talking my hold out blaster that I carried in my boot. He aimed at the tech Orun Wa. To be personal, I didn't care about his life at all. But I calmed down the boy enough to let him give me back my blaster. After that, I began to like the clones for which they were. I trained them personally for eight years until the assault on Geonosis began."

"Please," I pleaded to Kal. He stopped and looked at me questionably. "Don't mention Geonosis ever again. Please."

Kal nodded. "Anyways, I adopted them in _gai bal manda_," Kal continued. "It is translated into Basic as an adoption where an individual was welcomed into a Mandalorian family. Any being adopted into the family must agree to be bound by the Six Actions, or _Resol'nare_ in Mando'a. _Resol'nare _is the central tenets of Mandalorian life.

"Which are?" I asked.

They are consisting of: wearing armor, speaking the language; and only in the presence of other Mandalorians, Defending yourself and your family, raising your children as Mandalorians, contributing to the clan's welfare, and when called upon by the _Mand_'alor, rallying to his cause. Anyone who wished to be considered one of the _Mando'ade_ had to abide by these guidelines and live these actions daily. If you didn't follow the _Resol'nare_, you were considered to be _dar'manda_—someone who was ignorant of their Mandalorian heritage."

I looked down and considered what Kal was saying to me. "So I would be considered _dar'manda_?" I asked. "I haven't really defended myself and…well, the person I love."

"Well, you aren't considerably a _Resol'nare _follower at the moment are you, _Jad'ika_," Kal told me. "Me and my family are united. You are the last of your clan. You represent clan Ravis. You must carry on the Mandalorian culture to your offspring."

That would be a complication. "Umm, in case you haven't noticed. But marriage and kids is often frowned upon in the Jedi Order," I said to Kal. "Any other place would be fine, but in the Jedi Order? I might always be the last of my clan ever."

"The _shabla_ Jedi don't care about you bringing forth your family. As long as you don't get caught," Kal replied with a smile. "Are you familiar with the Jedi Etain-Tur Mukan?"

I shook my head. "I don't believe I have."

"She is carrying the child of my adopted son, Darman," Kal said.

"She is pregnant with a clone's child?" I asked shocked. "And I thought I was going against the rules. Not to mention the baby might succumb to the effects of the clones' accelerated aging."

"She asked me to help her and hide her secret from Darman and the other Jedi until she could successfully have her child," Kal explained. "Darman plans to marry her, he just hasn't found the right time."

"I see," I said to Kal. "So your Nulls are out on assignment?" I asked.

Kal nodded. "They were sent by me to find Kao Sai, the leader of the genetic manipulation of my boys. They'll be back soon, in the mean time," Kal said as he reached into his pocket. "Here is my private communications frequency," he handed me an encrypted code cylinder. "If you never need anything, just give me a call."

He gave the code cylinder and I stuck it in my spare pouch in my utility belt. "I have to go," I said regretfully. "My fellow learner is finding me a squad to go on assignment with. It is on my…personal agenda so to say."

"Well," Kal replied with what seemed to be a smile. "I'm no stranger to those."

I have Kal a small shake of the hand. But Kal taught me differently. He took my arm at the meeting point of my elbow and my forearm. I tried to grasp his, but my arm was too short to reach. He ended up walking me down to my speeder to see me off. I never expected this from such a hardened soldier…Then again, we were Mandalorian.

"If you want to be a True Mandalorian," he said as a climbed into the cockpit of the speeder. "You need to get yourself some armor. Not just those gauntlets and that robe."

I nodded in return. He was right, if I am to be a real Mandalorian like my father, I need a set of armor. "When would you want me to come back?" I asked before starting up the speeder.

"Anytime," he replied. "It'll be here when you come back from your next mission."

"Alright," I started out, but something crossed my mind. "How did you get my size?"

"I was trained to notice the smallest of details and act upon them with deadly precision," Kal replied as he ended up walking inside the compound. "I'm not saying that's what I did. But go, before someone comes looking for you."

"Yes, sir," I said and took off through the sky lanes back to the Temple.

When I got back to the Temple, it was almost as if I had never left. No one suspected why one of their speeders were missing or that I had been gone. I did not see as much younglings or Padawans than normal. I guess Ahsoka did pull through with the plan. I passed a couple of Masters who seemed to be talking about how their apprentices have engaged in a lightsaber training course that was a form of student-student teaching. I asked the masters where the training program was, they replied saying that they were in the training hall. I headed on my way over there, making sure that I was ready to face anyone. Some of the younglings I passed which were two to three years younger than me. I was anxious to see how they would fair.

I got to the training hall were nearly probably one quarter of the young teenagers like Ahsoka and I were. Both males and females of various species: Humans, Twi'leks, Quaren, Ithorians, Mon Calamarians, Bothans, Zabraks, and even some Barables. They were all talking amongst themselves, asking questions about what was going on. I looked around to find Ahsoka in the center of the hall looking for me. I sent her the subliminal message that was registered on our personal plane in the force. _You really out done yourself_, I said to her.

_I had a feeling you would say that_, she replied with a smile across the room. _This is where the fun begins_.

I nodded to her and spoke up amongst the crowd. "Alright everyone, settle down!" I shouted. "We're going to set the bracket up now. Everyone who is willing to participate may put their name in the Holo-shuffler."

At least a dozen, including Ahsoka and I, put our names in the shuffler. Once everyone's names were in, the bracket produced itself in spectacular fashion. The entire wall was filled with the holoprojector's vision of the bracket. Twenty-four names of both Padawans and younglings were separated and matched according to age. The first match was to be held between thirteen year-old Mon Calamari Zucker Kletika and fourteen year-old human Jeff Frezzia. Kletika was studying to become a healer in the Temples medical center. Unfortunately, healers aren't the best in terms of lightsaber combat, Frezzia defeated his opponent with ease and his name moved up the bracket.

The next fight was between a newly bestowed Padawan, Ryan Sarkia. Aayla Secura had chosen him as her Padawan after the Battle of Maridun where Ahsoka and them had crash-landed. During the time of Maridun, I was busy with my lessons with Cin and Yoda to be caught up with Ahsoka physically and mentally. Ryan was much older than Ahsoka and I, being just under 17. He was big too, standing at least half a foot taller than me and weighing a quarter more. His hair was neatly pulled back into a ponytail; his skin was tan and seemed to be year round. His eyes, were black, they had almost no pupils, and didn't show emotion. His Jedi robes were similar to Obi-Wan's with the exception of wrist gauntlets, instead, he had one gauntlet with what seemed to be a hand held datapad strapped too it. And strung along his chest, was a six-inch vibroblade sheath.

Ryan's opponent was between Saesee Tiin's apprentice was a Wookie who kept up with the starfighter's and any other vehicles that the Jedi had. Ryan activated his lightsaber, the teal blade lit up the room. There was something about that crystal, something that had sent a wave of assurance throughout the Force. Like something, no _someone_, was connected to the crystal. Saesee Tiin's apprentice was the first on the offensive. Ryan dodged two massive blows from the large Wookie and parried the next volley. Ryan was forced back into a corner where there was only one-way to go, up.

Ryan called upon the power that was contained within his lightsaber crystal and started to climb the corner of the wall with his feet, alternating and gaining height. The Wookie was stunned and didn't know what to do. Ryan vaulted himself off the wall, to land behind his opponent. He unsheathed his knife and held it to the throat of the Wookie and called for a submission. The Wookie did so, and there were numerous whispers from the crowd. He cheated, some said; he used aggression, others would say. I, on the other hand, smiled. Ryan was exactly the kind of person I needed: smart, intelligent, and innovative.

Ryan was special, but the last bracket had held one more promising candidate. Barriss had been eliminated which was a surprise to me. Another girl had beaten her, Sakura Timuré. This Jedi was about 16 from what I could tell. Ahsoka had met her in some off time between missions. Sakura was a Padawan to a good friend of Obi-Wan's, Siri Tachi. Her use of the Force was very impressive. She utilized the power to bend the light around her to blind and confuse Barriss in order for her to get the advantage. Sakura was an attractive young human. Her eyes were big and round. The yellow iris she had seemed to see right through you. She was short, about five feet three inches. Her body could speak for itself, with one that could lighten up any non-Jedi's day. But her most telltale feature was the waist length, stark-white hair on her head. Her robes weren't like normal Jedi robes. Her boots were tan and had a small two-inch heel to give her extra height. Her leggings were black and skin-tight. She wore a black pilot suit that was cut off at the arm sockets to allow more maneuverability. She wore arm sleeves on both sides that were black as well that covered her hands with the exception of her fingers. At her side were a single lightsaber and a blaster. The lightsaber was blue in color and just shorter than Ahsoka's.

The two brackets came two a close with two people remaining: Ryan and Sakura. Both prime candidates for my team. There fight had lasted longer than any other match. Ryan had over powered Sakura by strength and speed, but not technicality and the Force. Sakura tried to blind Ryan, however he covered his eyes and used only the Force to trace her moves. There fight turned into a well-coordinated dance that Ahsoka and I were amazed at. I could see the faces of other younglings, as their expressions were the same. Ryan seemed to bring out his knife so subtle that I could hardly see it was happening. Ryan tried to run up the wall but was stopped by Sakura's light. Ryan fell on his back, which had knocked the air out of him. Sakura held her sapphire blade to Ryan's face, he submitted with reluctance. Ahsoka and I were impressed, we had our team.

**AN: So there you have it. I know I know, "6 months to right a short chapter?" well yeah, but its only gonna get better and better. I have got whole new adventures planed out for Jadin and Ahsoka. I would like to give credit to the person who helped me; well I should say create Ryan Sarkia, ****alienvspredator5. Check out his stories, they are really great :). As always, please review and give me any type of help you think I need. Thanks so much for waiting, again (:.**


	16. Hysteria

**AN: Hey guy's, thanks for the reviews, I forgot how much I missed those (: Haha so anyways, here's another chapter coming at you guys. To recap, Jadin and Ahsoka are finding candidates for a "Jedi Squad" so to say. So far they had found Ryan Sarkia and Sakura Timur****é, Ryan and Sakura both had shown great skill in the use of the Force and lightsaber skills just like Jadin and Ahsoka. See where Jadin and Ahsoka's plan takes Ryan and Sakura. As always, read on, and review :)**

All the other younglings had left the room after the long battle between Sakura and Ryan. Ryan was still in shock by what he had witnessed from such a small person. Just goes to show that Yoda wasn't kidding when he said 'size matters not'.

"That was an impressive fight, Sarkia," Sakura had said. Her voice had a deep Coruscanti accent that made her sound totally different. Reminded me of Obi-Wan's a little. "Doesn't change the fact that I still won."

Ryan's face was shimmering with sweat in the Coruscant sunset. "Yeah, that may be true," he said, pausing for a quick breath. "But we both outlasted a number of other Padawans and younglings. That's got to count for something right?"

Sakura nodded. "It does, indeed it does."

Ahsoka and I walked over to the two winners. Ahsoka was the first to speak up. "You are right, Sakura," she started. "We would like to talk to the two of you."

"That's right," I added. "Recently we've gotten a tip that Naboo is going to be attacked by Separatists."

Ryan immediately jumped on the comment. "Naboo?" he questioned. "That's my planet! My home! Are you sure?"

"But I thought Naboo was under deep protection of the Republic," Sakura added softly. "Why would the Separatists choose to attack there?"

I was about to explain but Ryan jumped in anyways. "To enslave my people!" he said with frustration. "Dooku plans to use Naboo as an weapon, to strike at the heart of the peace talks we have been having."

Ahsoka interrupted me this time. "Senator Amidala, is the one who is _trying_ to bring peace," she stated. "Naboo is just her home world."

Before Ryan could say something else, I intervened. "Shut up, both of you!" I shouted. "Every second we argue means that we are not able to be one step ahead."

Ryan and Ahsoka nodded. Sakura talked this time with her voice calm. The tension in the room lifted as she spoke. "I suppose you have a plan to go along with this?"

"As a matter of fact I do," I replied bringing up my datapad. "Now the Jedi Counsel wont send three barely trained younglings on a mission alone right? So, we find a way to sneak onto a freighter headed for Naboo."

"A freighter?" Ahsoka questioned. "When were you planning on telling me about that part?"

"Right now," I replied, bringing up the flight data of the starport. "Here is one set to leave tonight."

Ryan took the datapad from me. He examined the plans. "We are hitching a ride on GR-45 transport?" he asked me. "That piece of junk?"

I nodded. "How will we be brought on board if we aren't cleared to be?" Sakura asked. "Unless you're suggesting commandeering it."

I looked towards Ahsoka who looked back for a few seconds, and then a surprised look fell on her face. "No," she started. "No, no, no, no, we are not doing that. We are not criminals, we're Jedi!"

"It's the only way," I shrugged my shoulders.

"No, there has to be another way," Ahsoka protested. "We could get a starfighter, all four of us, and maybe we can—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ryan said throwing his hands up over his head. "That's our prize for winning? To steal a ship and fly to Naboo? Well I'm in, what about you Sakura?"

"It certainty would be a fascinating experience to say the least," she replied. "I'll accompany the three of you."

"Then it's settled," I said ignoring what Ahsoka was about to say. "Pack up whatever you need to bring, but pack light."

"Alright," Ryan and Sakura said at once. They looked at each other for a short moment. They both flashed a smile at each other once they went there separate ways.

_Hmmmm_, I thought to myself. "There's something strange about the both of them," I said. Ahsoka then slapped my bare arm with the back of her hand.

"We are not stealing that freighter," she said with disgust. "What about the poor freighter pilot who probably has spent his life's earnings to get it?"

"Ahsoka, listen," I said rubbing my arm from the pain. "The ship that we are getting on is not an ordinary ship. It was designed to smuggle passengers to paradise worlds. Kal Skirata has gotten us passage aboard it."

"I don't trust Mandalorians," she replied. "Not after I discovered the corrupt officials a few weeks back."

"I am a True Mandalorian," I explained. "Kal is too. I would trust him more than a lot of people in this galaxy."

"I am going with you on this one, Jadin," Ahsoka replied. "If this is a trap we are walking into, I'm not going to be the one taking the blame."

I sighed and lifted Ahsoka's chin up so I could see her royal blue eyes. "I don't expect you too, Ahsoka," I whispered. I tilted my head down, closed my eyes, and pressed my lips against hers.

She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around my neck. I wrapped mine around her waist and brought her body closer to mine. Her body was warm against mine my hands stroked up and down her back. She let out a small sigh.

That moment, I heard more footsteps coming down the hall. I released Ahsoka, drew my lightsaber to cover up what we were doing. "And your block should turn like this," I said with my voice stuttering. Once the footsteps faded, I disengaged my activator switch. "We need to go back to my room," I whispered. "You leave first, I'll pack up my kit and be right with you."

She nodded, _I'll be waiting_, she told me before she left the chamber.

_What's she planning_, I thought through my head as I packed up. She probably was just waiting for us to say our final goodbyes before we have to hide our feelings from Ryan and Sakura. _Whatever it is, it doesn't matter_.

I finished putting my datapad above my civilian fatigues in a shoulder pack. Ryan and Sakura had contacted me over the comlink to ask where to meet us. I had told them to wait at the transport shuttles; they would take us to the starport. "Ahsoka and I, will be right behind you," I finished.

Ryan's distorted voice sounded out through the speaker. "Affirmative, I'll contact you once we've arrived."

I shut off my comlink and set out for Ahsoka. I found her sitting down in her room on her bunk. The sunset was glowing through her window, lighting up her room. Ahsoka's breathing was slow and the room was so quiet, you could hear her pulse radiating in the Force. My presence was enough to wake her from her meditation.

"I'm sorry," I said, leaning against the doorframe. "I forgot to knock."

Ahsoka smiled. "No need when you're here," she replied getting up. I stopped leaning and closed the door with a _hiss_.

"So what were you waiting for?" I asked moving closer towards Ahsoka. "I know I'm not that special to you."

Ahsoka chuckled. "You are," she replied, getting as close as she could to me. "More than you think," she whispered in my ear.

Her whisper sent shivers down my spine. It made me both nervous and anxious at the same time. The feeling was, intoxicating. I whispered back in her ear, "You can't turn me that easily."

She started to stroke her fingers up and down my chest through my tunic. "We'll see," she sighed in my ear. Her hand gripped the underside of my tunic and pulled it off of me. Now on a side note, three months of training rigorously had some great effects on my body. And so for the total description, you're going to have to ask Ahsoka about that one.

I threw the tunic to the side of her bed. As I did that, Ahsoka pressed her lips against mine, only this time, she angled her head to the side and opened her mouth slightly. I did the same in the opposite direction. Ahsoka paused for a breath, biting my lower lip. Her eyes were still closed when I opened mine. I started to stroke her back like I did back in the chamber. She let out more sighs.

"Jadin," she moaned, arching her back and neck. I let her slowly fall down to her bed. As soon as she was rested on the bed, her neck was still arched back. I set my lips softly against her neck. Ahsoka moaned even louder this time. I repeatedly lay more kisses on her neck, just to hear her moan.

"Ahh, Jadin, please," she moaned. "Please, more."

She started to roll down her top. I stopped her. "Are you sure?" I asked her.

She opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around my neck, stroking my hair. "I was sure from the start," she whispered. She connected with one more kiss, and I knew right then, that we're gonna be late to that ship.

**AN: Oh snap! Haha jk jk. Well there's my first "love" scene I guess. Lemme know what you guys thought about it. To fast? To slow? Just right? Well I know my writing isn't perfect but you guys (that's right YOU GUYS) can help me become a much better writer and storyteller. Constructive comments alright? Thanks very much. Hoping to get the next chapter up soonish. Thanks for reading again ****REVIEW POR FAVOR!**


	17. Something Rising

**AN: Hey guys, really sorry for the delay. I write this in my spare time and it something I'm really lacking right now. Im trying my best to get new chapters out. Im going to try and get one out at least once a week. Well here it is, chapter 17. Read and Review please, it always helps me out a ton! :)**

I quickly rushed to get my tunic back on. "Ahsoka," I said as quietly as possible without shouting. "Get up!"

It was 2200 hours standard time. The freighter was set to leave in at least 30 minutes. Ahsoka some how must have sensed my urgency and got up as if I was in danger. We lost track of time, and I hated that.

"What is going on?" She asked her back towards me, putting her top back on. "I thought you were supposed to wake us up in 'a few minutes'?"

"It—ahh," I was fumbling to put my lightsaber back on my belt. "Slipped my mind?"

"Yeah," she said angrily putting the rest of her clothes back on. "We need to get a speeder."

I read her mind and was already searching for one on my datapad. Turns out there was one in the hanger, but its been retired for a couple years. Apparently some one went out for a joy ride in it and overloaded the repulsors. It wasn't beat up much at all either. I believe it would serve the purpose quite well. "I got one," I announced as Ahsoka just finished dressing. "Hanger 21."

"I know a short-cut," Ahsoka said. "It involves some heights though."

"Heights?" I asked with a fearless look on my face. "Really?"

"I know," she winked. "I was just asking."

We made our way through the ill-lit temple to the outer sidewalls. We jumped and slid down the angled slopes of the duracrete walls, controlling our descent with the Force. As silently as it was, you'd think people, especially Jedi, would be on to us. You'd be surprised how rarely people look up in the sky.

Ahsoka had reached the bottom first with the greatest of ease. Me? Not so much…I had fumbled and rolled before I gained proper footing. I got up and brushed some rubble off of my robes. "Shall we?" I asked jokingly, gesturing my hand for her to go first.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes with a smile on her face and continued towards the hangers. We ran on the roofs of the hangers taking count until we reached 21. "Nineteen…twenty…twenty-one," I shouted in between breath intakes. "Down this way."

I made my way to a roof ventilation system fan that had been turned off. I jumped through the gap between the two stationary blades and landed in the center of the hanger with more ease than before. Ahsoka dropped down behind me as quiet if not more than me.

"There's the speeder," I pointed to the yellow vehicle near the edge of the wall. I turned to Ahsoka, her eyes as determined as ever. "You think you can fly it?"

She stared back at me in silence. "Just asking," I said throwing my hands up. Ahsoka ran to the speeder with me behind her. She got the speeder started before I got in the co-pilot's seat. The hanger's alarm system had gone off by the repulsors firing up. The loud klaxon rang in my ears, as I'm sure it did the same for Ahsoka. A louder humming radiated throughout the hanger as the bulkhead doors were closing.

"Uhh, Ahsoka," I shouted nudging her. "Now would be a good time to leave!"

"I'm working on it!" she shouted back, shrugging off my hand. She fumbled around with the controls before she found the repulsors thrust control. She shoved the lever to the max. "Got it!"

We shot from our starting point towards the closing walls within a split second. The walls were now the width of the speeder. Ahsoka pitched the repulsors to angle the speeder 90 degrees so our heads were sideways. The doors, almost closed, nearly took our heads off had we not ducked out of the way. The windscreen was now shattered and glass was all over the cockpit. "Great," I stated brushing off shards and jagged edges. "What else could go wrong?"

I finished brushing off my robes to look up to the gorgeous cityscape of Coruscant. The light from numerous buildings shined like a second sun in the night. Numerous advertisement boards and speeders crowded the air towards the spaceport. I looked over the edge; below us was an endless expanse of metal as far as I could see.

"Its beautiful," I stated still staring around. "Has it always been like this?"

Ahsoka nodded, not replying, as she was busy flying a broken speeder. We sped through the endless expanse of buildings and other speeders until we arrived at the spaceport. However while looking for a place to land, the speeder started to stop moving. The repulsors had gone out.

Ahsoka grimaced and tried powering the repulsors back on to no prevail. She slumped back into her seat. "We're done," she announced trying the thrusters one more time with the same effect.

"Then how are we supposed to get to the ship?" I asked looking over the edge. "I mean its not like we can jump down, ri-?" I started to say before looking over to where Ahsoka was. No one was there. I looked over the pilot's seat where I found Ahsoka falling and getting more out of my sight. "I hate it when she does that," I whispered to myself vaulting myself over the side of the cockpit.

Now falling through various lanes and speeders was quite the rush. The air was cool and filled my ears with deafening sounds of various horns and repulsors. I opened my eyes to see Ahsoka's body spread out trying to glide as much as possible. I reacted and streamlined my body to catch up to her. "I suppose you don't have a way out of this do you?"

"Well I wasn't thinking this far ahead!" she shouted back.

I reached in my belt for my comlink homing device that only could be picked up by Sakura and Ryan. I turned my body around to let an air pocket form so I wouldn't lose my comlink. "Let's hope they can reach us in time!" I yelled as I flipped the switch. The ground started to come into view by the time I had turned my body back around. Just before the ground was 1000 feet roughly below us. A bulk freighter had flown below us and caught us on its wings. "_Good to see you guys_," Ryan joked through the comlink. "_Where have you two been_?"

"Long story!" I shouted back. "Now open the cargo bay doors!"

This particular ship had to have been the ugliest I've ever seen. The top hatch opened up so Ahsoka and I could drop into the passenger bay. Ryan and Sakura met us at the bottom of the shaft. "You are late," Ryan said helping Ahsoka and me off the ladder. "Doesn't matter now, though," he added. "Well Jadin and Ahsoka, welcome aboard the _Star Lady_."

The _Star Lady _was an YT-1300 light freighter however this one was modified. It had hollow floorboards that could be removed to smuggle anything from weapons to people in it. It was a good ship, intact and flying. However it lacked the looks of a sleek starfighter. After I looked though the compartments, two Human females came from the cockpit. "You had better have a good excuse for us having to pull that little rescue of yours in Coruscant airspace," one of them said with gruffness yet serenity in her voice.

"Fen," the other one said. "Be nice, these are our clients."

"I know, Ghits," the one called Fen replied with a smirk on her face. "I was just messing with them."

"Now for proper introductions," Ghits said extending her hand and shaking all four of ours. "Ghitsa Dogder at your service, Ghits if you prefer."

Fen shook our hands as well. "Fenig Nabon, Fen for short."

Fen and Ghits had to both be at least 20 years old if not older. Fen had red hair pulled back into a ponytail showing her freckles on her nose and under her eyes. Ghits's hair was short, blonde, and spiked. "So, where are we headed to?" Ghits asked.

"Naboo," I said. "Kal Skirata spoke that you could get any type of cargo anywhere, particularly living organisms."

Fen laughed but Ghits replied. "He's to flattering, but its true. You won't find another smuggler like us."

"You guys seem like quite the pair," Ahsoka stated.

"Aye," Fen replied. "That we are."

"Where are you two from?" Ryan asked.

"Born and raised here on Coruscant," Ghits replied crossing her arms.

"Correlia," Fen stated returning to the cockpit.

"What's wrong with her?" Sakura asked in her delicate voice.

"Sore subject," Ghits replied sitting down in one of the compartment seats. "So you guys are bound for Naboo, huh?"

"That's right," Ryan stated.

"You do know that the Separatists have that planet blockaded now right?" Ghits stated. "It won't be a walk in the park that's for sure."

"But you can get us in, right?" I asked impatiently.

"Well of course," Ghits replied jokingly. "We've been through worse."

With the end of that statement, the whole ship rocked back and forth. I nearly fell into a cargo crate had I not regained my balance. Ryan, Sakura, and Ahsoka felt the same effect. Ghits had grabbed onto the ships frame to keep herself upright. "Fen!" she shouted through the hall that led to the cockpit. "What the hell was that!"

"You might wanna get up here!" Fen yelled back as another wave of motion swayed the ship again. Ghits walked up to the cockpit trying not to fall down from the sporadic motion of the ship.

"Sakura and Ahsoka," I called for them. "Check out what's going on. Ryan and I will be in the turrets if we are under attack."

Ahsoka and Sakura nodded while trying to regain their balance from yet another rolling motion. Ryan and I headed around the central column where a ladder went in both directions, either up or down. Ryan entered downwards while I went the opposite. The turret controls were much like a pilots seat with two handles on each side for each hand. The foot pedals controlled the movement of the laser cannons with right and left foot movements. The laser scope shows the controller a full rendering of the battlefield around him/her. The laser cannons were very impressive to say the least. I climbed into the seat and put the communications headset on and listened for chatter.

"Okay, guys," I said into the mic while turning on the lasers scope to see what was happening. "Fill me in, what's going on."

"_We're being followed and shot on by Republic fighters_!" Ghits replied while flicking switches in the background. "_I know you Jedi are for the Republic and all, but this ship has a reputation to uphold_."

"_Jadin,_" Ahsoka called through the comlink. "_We can't fire on them_, _they could be just innocent clones_!"

My laser sights were set on the V-wings that were in pursuit still firing at us. My thumbs were on the two triggers, ready to fire. Then the thought came into my head. Warthog, the pilot that had gone with me to Geonosis, might be flying that fighter doing his job. Or one of his brothers that he would be devastated if he had lost them…

"_We just lost the deflector shield_!" Fen shouted angerly through the comlink. "_If you're going to take the shot I suggest you do it soon or else we'll all be come a splash of paint on the ground_!"

I was running out of time. We had a job to do, and I was willing to do anything to get it done. I only cared about keeping my fellow Jedi safe…

"Fire on them when you're ready, Ryan," I told Ryan.

"_What_!" he shouted back in surprise. "_Didn't you hear anything Ahsoka said_!"

"I heard," I replied softly. "And I said fire on them."

"No!" Ryan yelled. "We can communicate with them, tell them we're Jedi. We can—"

Ryan didn't have time to finish as a laser cannon fired at one of the V-wings. As one exploded, it caught the other fighter on the wing, crashing into one of the buildings on the ground. I thought the laser blast had come from Ryan. However when I looked down at my hands, my knuckles were white and my thumbs were pressed on the triggers. I had shot the fighters down…I had done that. It needed to be done, right?

"It—it's over," I said through the comlink and removed the headset. I climbed down the ladder too the cargo bay where Ryan was already waiting.

"What is wrong with you!" Ryan shoved me. "Those fighters were just following orders and you killed them in cold blood!"

I shoved Ryan back, knocking the six-foot Jedi on the ground. Ryan looked back at me stunned at what I had done. I had no control over myself when I did that. It was instinct…I looked at my arms to see that they were balled up in fist and clenched so hard that they were red as blood. I released my fists as fast as I could, realizing what I had just done. "Ryan—I," I stumbled to say trying to help Ryan up. "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

Ryan waved my hand off and got up from the metal floor. "Sorry doesn't brink those clones back, Jadin."

Ryan headed up to the cockpit as we cleared the atmosphere to jump to hyperspace. I just sat down where Ryan had been knocked down…knocked down by me. I stayed in the same position until I felt the ship lurch, as I knew we jumped. Normally I would have loved to watch the stars shape and morph. But not this time, I was changing, and I could feel it. Something was growing inside of me. Something dark…

**And there you have it guys. Like I said, I'm really sorry for the delay and all. I'm going to try and get one chapter in once every two weeks so you all wont have to wait so long. Thanks again for reading. Reviews always help me out so please review, and I'm not "review whoring" as they say I'm just trying to get some feed back if writing is something I want to stick doing here. So even you silent readers I want to hear from you guys. As always thanks for choosing this story :) see you next week.**


	18. Amongst the Stars

Ryan waved my hand off and got up from the metal floor. "Sorry doesn't brink those clones back, Jadin."

Ryan headed up to the cockpit as we cleared the atmosphere to jump to hyperspace. I just sat down where Ryan had been knocked down…knocked down by me. I stayed in the same position until I felt the ship lurch, as I knew we jumped. Normally I would have loved to watch the stars shape and morph. But not this time, I was changing, and I could feel it. Something was growing inside of me. Something dark…

**Okay, I want to clear something up if there was some confusion or anything. Ghits and Fen are actual characters. I created their personalities according to what I had read about them. During the time frame of the Star Wars Universe: Fen and Ghits would really have been 5 years old at this time. But what the heck right? It's a Fanfic, and anything can happen. Well with out further a due, here's another chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading and catching up. And as always, ****Read and Review please**

Chapter 18: Amongst the Stars

I woke up in a cot below the deck of the ship we were on…I couldn't face anyone after what I had done. I needed my time to think about my actions. My dark actions. I turned my head and body to face the ceiling. I had never killed a clone before. Yes I had heard their screams of pain and agony on the battlegrounds. But Battle Droids firing at them had caused those pains. I began to wonder what those innocent clones' cries were. Were they the same? Or were they completely different if they were by an ally.

I closed my eyes as the images of the fighters exploding and tumbling into the ground. These images, now burned in my brain, will haunt me forever. To this day, I remember the twisted metal and burning fuel race towards the ground going faster and faster. At sometimes…I can smell the blood and the scorched flesh even if I'm across the galaxy.

Ahsoka walked into the room where I was and sat down on the side of the cot. "We're approaching Naboo," she said dismally. She looked at the ground. "I just wanted to tell you. You are the leader of this mission after all," she choked on the last sentence.

"Ahsoka, I—" I started to say but was cut short when I saw Ahsoka's arms reach up to cover her face. Her shoulders started shaking up and down. Her controlled breaths turned into heavy but sharp intakes of air.

"You…you killed them," she managed to say in between gasps. "I…I—"

"Ahsoka," I got up to pull her into my arms. She shoved my hand away and looked me straight in the eyes. They were blood shot and filled with tears.

"I don't need _your_ help, Jadin," she shouted, tears flowing even more than before. "You killed them and you felt nothing!"

"I did feel something," I added as softly as I could. A pit was forming in my stomach by seeing her hurting like this. "It was foreign to me…I didn't know what to call it."

"It was the power of the Dark Side," she explained. "When you…killed the clones, did you feel any emotion at all?"

I hadn't considered that at all. "No…" I falsely admitted. I hated lying to Ahsoka. The truth was that I felt power. I had the ability to take the life at the press of a button. I felt invincible for that split second after firing the first shot. "I felt grief and sorrow," I told her. "I know what I did was wrong, and I'm very sorry for what I did."

Ahsoka wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks. "Its not me you have to be sorry for," she whispered. "Talk to them."

"What?" I asked not understanding whom to talk too.

"The clones, Jadin," she said getting up and going towards the door. "You are strong in the Force. You can reach out to them. You'll know them when you see them."

She left the room with out another word. Could she have meant that I need to see them the same way I see my father? It couldn't though; my father and I are connected in a way. I don't think I would be able to talk to them through my dreams or though random event. No, I had to contact them directly through the Force.

I got off the cot and knelt down to sit on my knees. I straightened my back, took in a deep breath, and shut my eyes. I opened my conscious mind to the Force. The energy force rushed through my body like an ocean wave crashing against the rocks. My unconscious mind was free to search the galaxy.

Not a moment later, the entire galaxy filled my eyes. All the stars filling my view with light and life…_Life_! I quickly began to search for the two clones. There were so many stars in my sight. So much death had been brought to this realm, all because of the Clone Wars. I saw a large grouping of stars that was all the same in looks, but different in personality. _Interesting_, I thought. I looked around more until I figured out that these stars were in fact clones. _Our_ clones that we have as our troops. I found them all, all the dead that we had lost on the battlefield. Stars that shined bright were the bravest of all the stars, not afraid to be shut out by the darkness. Then, just as I was about to give up looking for the two clones. Two darkened stars were located in my peripheral vision.

I knew these two stars to be the clones that died wrongfully and at the wrong hand. I made my way to these stars. And with my mind, I touched the consciousness of the stars. The two clones had materialized in there human form. Ghost-like similar to my father.

"Who are you," one of the clones asked. "Wait a minute, you…you're a Jedi!"

"Awaiting order's sir!" the other clone straightened up along with the first clone.

I shook my head. "At ease, please," I half asked half wanted. "I'm the being that caused you to be here."

"Wait a minute," the clone to my left started. "You're that freighter that shot at us?"

"No," I said. "I shot at you. And caused _you_ to crash," I pointed at the clone to my right. "I'm here to apologize for my actions as they were wrong and unjust. We're on a mission to save Naboo and we couldn't let anything get in our way and—"

"Woe, woe, kid," the clone on my right said. "We were willing to strike you down had you given us a couple more shots. Then you'd be here instead of us."

"Yeah," the clone I shot down said. "You had a mission to complete. Any mission for the Republic is a mission to us, no matter who from."

"So you are alright with being dead?" I asked, confused and baffled.

"We were engineered to be without fear of dying for the Republic," the clone to my right explained. "You weren't in the wrong, kid. We died for a cause, and we hope to see Naboo safe just like any other Republic world."

"Okay?" I questioned still pondering why they weren't angry.

"Get going, kid," the clone to my left said, showing me the way back. "You can't be gone too long."

Just as I was about to leave the star system. I heard a whisper that seemed to only be from my ears. "Beware Order 66…" the whisper said.

"What was that?" I asked one of the clones.

"What was what?" the one I asked replied.

"Beware Order 66!" I heard, but this time the voice was louder.

"There it was again," I tried to tell the clones. "How didn't you hear it?"

"There was nothing, kid," the clone that was to my right said. We came to the edge of the star cluster and the clones said their goodbyes. "Good luck, kid."

"In my luck?" I laughed. "So far in my experience, there is no such thing." Taking a phrase out of Obi-Wan's vocabulary.

The clones vanished and I broke my meditation meld, bringing me back to the YT-1300 freighter that was about to re-enter subspace. I made my way up to the cockpit of the ship to find Sakura on comms and Ryan navigating. Ryan looked up and scanned me though the Force. Looking for anything out of the ordinary.

After his mind sweep was done, a smile came over his face. I smiled and nodded back in agreement. "Where's Ahsoka?" I asked Ryan.

"I thought she was with you," Ryan replied with a shrug. A series of beeps radiated from the navigation's control panel. "You might want to hang on for a bit, Jadin," Ryan suggested. "We're about to reach Naboo." 

I took Ryan's advice and waited in the cockpit. Ghits pulled a lever on the control panels and the blue tunnel had faded to reveal the blue-green planet of Naboo. Unfortunately it also showed the enormous blockade surrounding the planet. There were ships from light frigates to super cruisers that could tare us apart with one turbolaser blast. And who knows how many droid fighters they have on board. "Holy shit…" Fen exclaimed. "I got a bad feeling about this."

"You and me both," I responded. "Just get us in and Kal will have you're reward in your bank accounts before you know it."

"This had better be worth it," Ghits stated.

"Trust me," I said to Ghits, thinking about the two clones and what they had said to me. "This is worth it."

**Will our team make it? Will Jadin forget his place again and turn to the darker power he has discovered? Tune it, or type in, or whatever you want, next week as Chapter 18 comes out. As always, Read and Review and look forward to another chapter next week :). Thanks again and read on next week.**

**P.S I know this was a short chapter, and I promise that next weeks will be longer.**


	19. Naboo

**AN: Hey guys sorry about the long delay. I've been slacking as a writer… but fear not. I'm back (again) and ready to give you guys more of Jadin, Ahsoka, Sakura, and Ryan. **

**Ah yes, I want to take this time to say I don't own Ghits and Fen. They are actual characters in the Star Wars Universe. The only thing I changed about them was their age since they would be just born at this time. Well as a matter of fact. I don't own any thing besides Jadin and Sakura. Ryan was originally the idea of ****AVP5****. (Thanks again, by the way) ****The only thing I did was give Ryan a place in my story.**

**Oh, and thanks to ****Stilwater Rundeepo**** for his review on my story. Thanks a lot, it means so much to me. And I'll keep your one-shot suggestion in mind.**

**Well, now we've gone through those formalities and what not, lets get back to the story shall we? ****Read and Review….**

Chapter 19: Naboo

"If we get out of this alive," Ghits told me. "I'm buying you all a drink."

"Uhh, we're still teenagers" Sakura reminded Ghits.

"So?" she replied with a shrug.

"Okay I think we need to get back to the task at hand," I said running to find Ahsoka. Disregarding Ryan's request. We ran into each other along the corridor.

"Did you—?" she tried to ask .

"Yeah," I said with a smile on my face.

"And did they—?" she tried again.

"Yes," I answered. "They…forgave me."

A smile ran across Ahsoka's face. "Wait a minute," I scaned Ahsoka's mind. Most of her memories are from the both of us. Others are of her past. But the recent of all memories was about the clones. "You knew that they would forgive me?"

Ahsoka nodded, smile still across her face. "I thought it was best that you figure it out yourself. Plus its fun being a little actress to you."

I just shook my head, smiled back, and brought her into my arms. I was half upset and half something else but I still found serenity with Ahsoka so close to me. Her and I pulled back for a moment and locked our eyes together. I closed my eyes and brought my hand to her neck. I pulled her lips towards me until hers and mine were almost touching.

"Hey," I heard Ryan's voice through the hallway. "They're hailing us."

I sighed. "Later?" I asked Ahsoka who nodded in return. We returned though the hallways back to the cockpit…yet again. And things were more peaceful than they seemed. Sakura was trying to talk sense into letting us go by. The main control ship was directly in front of us. I had never seen a larger space ship.

"We are a supply transport," she tried to explain in the most diplomatic way possible. "We were supposed to make a scheduled drop off then return back to Corellia."

"_We do not have a supply ship scheduled for dropping off anything_," an automated voice (clearly battle droid) said through the communications channel.

I tapped Sakura's shoulder for her to give me the headset. She removed the set and rested it in my hands. Quickly I put it on and spoke to the droid. "It was originally scheduled for Theed Palace," I put in. "We didn't know that Naboo had succumb to a—new occupation."

"_Who is this_?" the droid asked. "_What position do you hold on this ship_?"

"I'm the Capitan," I announced. Ghits and Fen both glared at me. I shrugged my shoulders at them as I was waiting for a reply from the droid. "I request that I speak to whom ever is in charge."

"_The Capitan of this ship is speaking_," another voice said, Neimodian perhaps. "_What is your purpose and destination_?"

_Great_, I thought. "Theed," I replied as calmly as possible. "Will you let us do our jobs and let us pass?"

There was a long pause before some one answered. "_You need to give us the clearance code to grant access to the planet's surface, Capitan_," the Neimodian ordered.

"Just a second," I replied muting the headset in the process. I spoke to the cockpit. "Well, we're done for. Any other ideas?"

Ghits looked out through the window of the cockpit then at Fen. "Fen," she called. "What about those codes from the last job we had?"

"You think those'll work?" Fen asked.

"Well they worked last time didn't they?" Ghits retorted. Fen nodded agreeably bringing up the confirmation codes and sending them on the communication's frequency.

"You're on, _Capitan_," Fen said sarcastically.

"Cute," I replied with a mocking look on my face. I put the headset back on waiting for a reply to the codes.

"_Its an old code sir, but it checks out_," the droid said to the Capitan, forgetting to turn the communicator off. "_Should I tell them to abort_?"

Another long pause. "_No, let them pass_," the Neimodian replied. Thank the Force that worked.

"Nice thinking, Ghits," I whispered to her.

"_Proceed to the Theed Hanger Bay 12_," the droid voiced.

"Thank you very much," I responded turning the headset back to Sakura. I turned towards the pilots. "Alright, guys," I stated. "You heard him, right down to Theed". I turned to walk out to sit down for entry into the planet's atmosphere.

"Well how the hell am I supposed to fly with this big ships guns pointed out at me?" Fen asked annoyingly.

I turn back around. "I don't know!" I shouted back. "Fly casual!"

Ghits giggled. "Shut it!" Fen barked at her friend.

Ahsoka and I took our seats at the Dejarik table and sat side by side. I leaned back in my seat and exhaled heavily. "If that wasn't close, I don't know what is," I said with a smile on my face.

Ahsoka rested her head and arms on my lap. "That because the hardest hasn't come," she replied.

I began to stroke her lekku on the back of her head. I felt her body tremble at the touch. "Jadin," I heard her say. "What happens when—?"

I had already sensed her thought before she said it. "Don't think things like that," I told her.

"But what if it comes true?" she asked me, sitting back up. "I don't think I could accept you dying."

I signaled her to quiet her rising voice with one finger over my lips. "I'm still here with you now. And this time is all we may have right now."

"But I want more than just right now, Jadin," she retorted. "I want forever."

"Then I will be here forever," I said with a smile.

Ahsoka wrapped her arms around my neck. I pressed my lips to hers until Ryan came around the bend of the corridor. "We're here guys, where do you want us to land?"

I got up first from the Dejarik table to the cockpit. Ahsoka still got ahead first. Ryan ended up stopping me in the middle of the hallway with his forearm. "Wait," he said forcing me the ship's walls. Ahsoka walked up to the cockpit with out noticing Ryan was holding me down.

"What they hell?" I asked Ryan. "What was that for?"

"This whole 'love scene' with Ahsoka and you has to stop," Ryan explained. "You and her both need clear heads in this mission. We're trying to save my home you know!"

I started to cringe from the increased pressure from Ryan's arm. "I know," I told him. "If it weren't for us, you'd still be at the temple not knowing about this until it was too late."

"And it will be no different if we don't have a successful mission," Ryan snapped. "The Council, our masters, what are they thinking of us now?"

I hadn't thought that one through. If we left in the middle of the morning away from the Jedi Temple, then their impression would be that we left with out warning. They wouldn't be looking for us either. _How are we going to contact them about this_? I asked myself. "We'll find a way to get through, Ryan. I give you my word as a friend and a Jedi."

Ryan let his arm relive the pressure on my chest. "If this was for nothing…. And Naboo was already doomed…." he stuttered.

"This isn't for nothing, Ryan," I replied grabbing his shoulder. "The Jedi saved Naboo from the Trade Federation twelve years ago. And here we are: you, Ahsoka, Sakura, and I. We are going to do it again. For the Republic and the Galaxy."

Ryan nodded at me. As we both walked back into the cockpit. Ghits was the first one who spoke to us. "So," she started. "Where are we headed?"

Now this part I had figured out. "We're heading to the swamps of the planet," I explained. "To see the Gungans."

"Why the Gungans?" Sakura asked. "Wouldn't the queen like to know about this?"

"How much do you want to be that she already knows?" I responded. "The Gungans live underwater and are the least bit likely to succumb to the corruption that is probably at the heart of Naboo at the moment."

"The Naboo corrupt?" Ahsoka questioned. "Seems a little far fetched don't you think?"

I shrugged at her. "It's happened before. Plus, Obi-Wan and his master went to the Gungans when they were in need of help. Same situation as us…although we have a ship this time."

"Uhh correction," Fen put it. "We're dropping you guys off at these _swamps_ and we are high tailing it out of here. To much risk."

"Yeah guys," Ghits contributed. "We can only risk our hides so much for the Jedi. It puts us in a bad place with the rest of the underground."

"You consider Kal Skirata part of the underground?" I asked. "He probably has your pay already in your accounts."

Fen shook her head. "Doesn't matter," she elaborated. "If we aren't alive to use it, Jedi."

_Point taken_, I admitted to myself. I pointed out on the canopy as the vast forested swamplands came into view. Heavy fog had just set from the morning hours. "Drop us at the edge of the fog."

Ghits nodded as she took the ship into its landing cycle. The ships speed slowed to little more than that of a walking person. The repulsors fired to safely land the ship on its landing gears. Once the ship set down, Sakura and I went outside to check and see if everything was clear for Ghits and Fen to leave safely. Sakura and I hadn't met before the mission or the tournament. I had seen her around before but I had never spoken to her. She seemed just as spooked as me about the swamp.

The swamp was completely blacked out from the dense vegetation. I couldn't see 20 feet ahead of me. The smell was just as bad as the sight too. The sounds were frightening even though I knew them just to be rumored large rodents. By large, I mean the size of a person. But I don't believe they exist.

"Alright," I said to Sakura. "You wanna go first?"

"You can't be serious?" she said alarmingly.

I smiled slyly and turned around to the ramp to see Ahsoka and Ryan walking out. The ramp retracted and the bulky YT-1300 freighter sped off leaving us alone with only our training and our lightsabers. What could possibly go wrong, right?

**AN: And that's the end of Chapter 19. Thanks for reading this chapter. I'm not going to leave you guys hanging at all this summer. Please review it means a lot to me…I know you readers get that a lot but it really does me a lot to me. ****Please review and make sure to come back for Chapter 20 where the Swamp awaits our heroes.**


	20. The Swamp and The Lake

Chapter 20: The Lake and the Swamp

The Lieanorm Swamp was sure darker than the records had indicated.

"Okay," Ryan stated. "Who wants to take the first step into the creepy swamp first?

"I thought it was obvious that I go first," I said. All eyes focused on me. "My idea to come here."

They all nodded in agreement to my statement. I made my way through the first set of the tree line, hoping nothing would jump out at me. "Come on," I shouted back. "It's clear."

Ahsoka, Ryan and Sakura followed my lead. Thankfully the Force was on our side and could lead us in a straight line and not in circles. We made it four hours so far with out anything happening. However everyone was getting uneasy about this whole 'go-through-the-swamp' plan. "Hey lets play a game," I suggested. "I say a color of something I see and you guys have to guess it". I took their silence as an acknowledgment. "I spy with my little eye something…" I looked around my field of view to find something that I could use. I found a large black piece of fury moss on a rock formation above us. "Black," I said. However as soon as I said it, the moss…_moved_.

"Was it that moss that just moved?" Ryan asked placing his hand on his knife, waiting for the moment to unsheathe the blade.

"Good job," I said reaching for my lightsaber. "Lets not play that game again, huh?"

"Agreed," all of them said. We all swung our heads around to the sound of a bubbling bog. We kept turning our heads to different sounds the swamp started making. From Charon fowl crowing, to

"I have a bad feeling about this," Sakura stated.

"I second that," I added looking around for anything else that moved. "Come on, let's keep moving, whatever it was it's gone now. The Gungan capitol is not much further now."

From that point on, all of us started to hear scurrying all around us. I turned around to see the mounds of black moss 'running' towards us. "Run," I said to everyone. They didn't listen the first time and the moss now got closer. "Run!" I shouted and everyone obeyed. We ran as fast as we could, dodging through trees and jumping over fallen trunks. Ryan turned around and ignited his teal colored lightsaber, getting into his fight position. "Ryan!" I stopped and went back, unsheathing my saber as well. I ran back to his side and was ready to face whatever came our way. Ahsoka and Sakura both followed me and ignited their blue and green blades. We circled our backs so we were facing all directions. Back to back, silver, teal, blue, and green blades casting shadows around our surroundings. "Are you guys ready?" Ryan asked everyone. Ryan had created a mind meld for us to join in and combine our strength, to share one thought and one thought only: to survive.

"Here they come," Ahsoka pointed in the direction of the moss. But with the addition of our lightsabers added glow to our area showed the moss to be extremely large rodents.

"I thought they didn't exist," I said.

"Just because something's rumored, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist," Ryan explained. As soon as he finished, one of the supersized rodents struck at us. Ryan was able to jump in front and slash the creature. The beast squirmed and writhed until its movement finally stopped. The sent of burning flesh surrounded the area we were fighting in. Another rat came around the bend soon to join his pack member by Ahsoka's blade. One after another fell to Ahsoka and Ryan at the front of the assault. Sakura and I were watching our backs to see if anything would circle around our flanks. Ahsoka and Ryan were slicing as many rats that were coming their way. Suddenly, with a few final slashes and Ahsoka announced there was no more. We sheathed our lightsabers and joked about how Sakura and I had no kills. "If we had been cutting down with you two," Sakura explained. "We would have been attacked from behind and you guys would have been sorry."

"Well it doesn't matter," Ryan retorted. "Those rats were too stupid."

"Well, we know they are smarter than you," Ahsoka joked around.

We all laughed together, to loud if you ask me. I heard more scurrying coming out from behind. "Did you guys hear that?" I asked. More scurries emerged. We turned around to see numerous pairs of red eyes. "Uhh, lets go," I suggested. Ryan turned around and bumping into me as he ran the opposite way of the eyes. "Go, go!" I shouted in response. We followed Ryan through the swamp jumping over various logs and moss-covered boulders. Ahsoka tripped over a rouge vine and fell to the floor. As I ran past, I slowed down to pick Ahsoka back to her feet. She was in pain, however I could see no physical injuries at the time.

"Come on!" I shouted pulling her to her feet. "We have to run!"

She kept pace with me for the remaining of the chase made by the rats. We had finally reached the edge of the swamp before they stopped chasing us. Too afraid of the light I guess. The edge of the swamp was also the start of a lake, deep by the looks of it. The fog that had followed us through the swamp rested over the start of the lake and spread as far as the eye could see. I knew this lake to be Lake Paonga. The sounds of numerous birds and reptiles sang along the bank of the lake. The only thing that startled me was how still the water had become. This sure as hell wasn't a main water way. "This is it," I announced to the group. "All that's left is to go underwater."

"Whoa, wait, what?" Ryan questioned as he walked over to me. "We just faced those rats and you want us to go into the water now? Didn't you think the fish might be just as bad?"

"Demon rats is one thing," I explained. "We're talking about demon fish here. Kind of outlandish don't you think?"

Ryan shrugged and took my word for it. I searched my utility belt for my rebreather. The R99 Aquata Breather could provide a constant supply of oxygen for two hours straight. The Jedi had an enormous quantity of them for Jedi on field operations. I looked at the small little contraption that would have my life in its hands for as long as it takes to find the city. An amazing device the R99, to be able to supply a large amount of air into something so small. I guess big things do come in small packages. I stuck the white mouthpiece into my mouth and tried breathing through my mouth. The compressed air tanks on either side of my face started releasing their air into my lungs. The air tasted slightly metallic, most likely from being in a small durasteel canister. I released the air slowly through my nose. I turned around and took the mouthpiece out to speak to everyone.

"Put your breathers on," I commanded. "We might not be coming back this way either."

Everyone complied reaching for his or her R99. I spun back around and started walking into the water with my breather in my mouth. The water was surprisingly warm so hypothermia would not be an issue in this case. _One less problem to worry about_, I thought. As I continued out so the water was waist high, I could hear everyone else entering the water. I waded out to where the water was deep enough for me to stop being able to reach the bottom.

"Lets get going," I announced. "Follow me, I know the way."

I took a breath from my R99, released the air from my lungs and sunk down to the bottom of the lake. I went in the direction the lake took down to the south to the deepest parts of the lake to where the city was located, this direction is known as Paonga Straight. My breath stayed calm and serine after thirty minutes of swimming though the water. I scanned the water only to find a couple of fish that were but larger than my arm and completely harmless, I had learned these small specimens to be Gooberfish. However just as I searched around, an oceanic cliff started to form. _Damn, this is a big lake_, I thought to myself. I swam towards the cliff when a light source shined off the rock's face. When I got closer, I learned that the lights weren't coming from the rock itself, but from numerous lights behind it. Otoh Gunga was now in our sights.

**AN: Hey guys. Here's another update to The Forbidden. By now I've probably left most of you hanging way too much. To those who keep me on their alert list or favorites list I send my thanks to you. An end is coming. I promise. Remember to always Review. Thanks for your continued support. I'll update whenever I can.**


	21. Otoh Gunga

Chapter 21: Otoh Gunga

The city had some major history surrounding it. It was founded almost 3,000 years ago where the city before, Spearhead, once stood. It originally was occupied by other Gungan Cities until their leader at the time, Boss Gallo, united them all under one banner. Funny, through three thousand years, the city has only witnessed one invasion from the Trade Federation ten years ago.

I marveled at the beauty of the underwater city. I the Gungans used semipermeable membranes to use as 'doors' for moving in and out of the city to the outside to trade with either the citizens on the surface or other Gungans. I searched around for the same entrance. When I finally located it, I gestured with my hands for the others to follow me. When I swam through the membrane, it felt like going through an extremely thin gelatin mixture. The air inside the main chamber was perfectly breathable. I removed my mouthpiece and waited for the others to join behind me. The ceiling was at least ten stories high if not higher. I heard the rest of my group come enter through the membrane.

"Remarkable," I heard Sakura say.

"Yeah," Ryan added. "You can say that again."

"Hey guys," I called to them. "I see an extremely short supply of battle droids for a blockade that size above the planet."

"Maybe they haven't started the invasion yet," Ahsoka suggested.

"Good point, but how did that blockade get here in the first place?" I asked. "Why wasn't the Republic notified in time?"

"Why do you keep asking questions that we should know nothing about?" Ryan asked. "Lets find this Boss Nass and get out as soon as we can."

"Hey!" I heard a voice, probably Gungan, come from down the stairway. "Yousa! Stopa there!"

This Gungan was extremely lanky, but muscular at the same time. His face bore whiskers similar to those of a fish above his upper lip. A sign of superiority. He was riding a Kaddu that made its distinct howl before riding up. "Uh, hi," I bowed. "We're hear to warn Boss Nass about the impending invasion that might commence within the next twenty-four standard hours."

"And whosa might yousa be?" the mounted rider asked as yet another mounted rider came from our left.

"We're Jedi Ambassadors from Coruscant," I lied. Well I didn't lie much, we kind of are ambassadors. "We are here on direct orders from Chancellor Palpatine."

"Hmm," the warrior stroked his whiskers in thought. "Daysa come wit mesa to de Bosses."

The other mounted rider nodded in acknowledgement as we made our way to the chamber area.

* * *

The central chamber that held the leaders of the Gungan society was calm and composed of five seats. Four Gungan warriors with stun staffs guarded the entrance. The leaders had ceremonial robes and facial cowls only exposing their eyes and mouth to speak. The only thing I noticed out of place was that Boss Nass was not in the room. Instead it was Otolla Gungan in his place. "Your excellency," I bowed, gesturing for everyone else to do the same. "It is an honor to be in your beautiful city."

"Yousa most welcome, Jedi," he replied. "Is unfortunate thata Boss Nass esa no here to tenda to dis matter personally."

"What has happened to him?" Ahsoka asked.

"He has become very ill," a voice came from the entrance. We turned around to see a purple skinned Otolla Gungan with his hands held behind his back. "Jedi," he bowed. "Mesa sure whatever matter dis about we can settle in no time."

"And you are?" Ahsoka asked.

"Oh please excuse mesa," the Gungan apologized. "Mesa name es Rish Loo, mesa a priest and adviser to de interim Boss Lyonie."

"Pleasure," I replied. "I take it you know about the blockade surrounding the planet then?"

"In fact mesa do," the violet Gungan replied. "And mesa know that theysa plan to invade peacefully."

"So then you know…" Ryan paused. "Wait, did you say peacefully?"

"Yousa correct, Jedi," Rish replied.

"Weren't you invaded the last time you thought that?" I asked. "I really must wish to speak to Boss Nass."

"Hesa muy ill," Loo answered. "Hesa cannota see yousa."

Anger started to grow inside me. Ahsoka reached into my mind to calm me down. I reached back to silently thank her. "Boss Lyonie," I said to the Gungan sitting in the middle between the Reps.

"Yesa," he replied.

I spoke to the other Jedi in the meld. _Hey, you guys might have to help me with this_. _I'm not to good with this yet_.

They nodded in acknowledgement. I started to reach my mind out to Lyonie with the rest of the Jedi in my group. "Do you think that we can receive some transport to the surface?"

"Wesa give yousa una bongo," Lyonie replied with compliance. The other Gungans looked at us all in shock.

"Thank you very much, your honor," I said with a backwards walking bow. "We leave you in peace."

Ryan came over to whisper in my ear as we walked out of the chamber. "Jadin, what's a bongo?"

"Transport," I replied with a smile. Just as we were about to leave the chamber, two stun spears blocked our path forming an X shape. "I hope."

"What's the deal?" Ahsoka turned around and asked Lyonie. Rish Loo was whispering in his ear.

"Mesa sorry," Lyonie replied. "Yousa be needen da heading."

"Where do you suggest we go?" Ryan asked.

Rish Loo whispered into Lyonie's ear again. "De planet core."

Did he mean literally going through a planet's core? The Gungan guards let a small gasp escape. That can't be good. "Thank you for your kindness," I replied. "We'll leave as soon as possible."

* * *

We had left the counsel chambers to where the guards led us to a hanger where the bongos were kept. There were many types of bongos since one of the guards told us that they were each made individually and by hand. The bongo we were given was called a Tribubble. One bubble held exactly four passengers and the other two held either cargo or anything else. We were taught how the controls on the craft work. Ahsoka seemed the best fit to carry out the burden of piloting the submarine craft. I had to admit about the craftsmanship of the ship. It was very curved and sleek and not bulky and not hydrodynamic. The Bongos were actually shaped and grown rather than built from steel or any lighter metal. I had heard of this down before but never seen the finished product. The ships hull is made from a coral-like plant that can be shaped underwater. The launching mechanism was that of slingshot origin. It would have a Bongo on the launch pad and be shot through the membrane that was large enough to fit the large underwater machine. Once in the water, the ship's engine would automatically start turning the long propeller protruding from the back of the Bongo.

"Okay," I finally said. "Are we ready to head out?"

"I believe so," Ahsoka said and turned towards her instructor. "Thank you very much for the quick lesson."

"Esa no problem," he replied opening the passenger port of the Bongo. "Wesa ready to send yousa off."

We all climbed into the passenger seats as Ahsoka got in the pilot's seat. The engineer closed the bubble cockpit. The other engineers started to initiate the launching sequence. There was the count down that spoke in Gunganese. "_Teska, nine, ate-a, sevin, seeks, fife, foosa, dee, duey, una_," the voice spoke. As the last number was spoke. The slingshot released all of its energy, sending us through the membrane with us in our seats.

"_Good luck, all-n youse,"_ the Gungan communications operator said to us before cutting off communications. We were now on our own in this abyss of a lake, with nothing but the Force to guide us. We'll make it. I just know that we'll find a way…

* * *

**AN: And here concludes another chapter! Thanks for reading. It would help me out a lot if you guys could write a review. Oh, as you might have noticed this chapter was written extremely fast for my usual pace. I've been having loads and loads of free time when I'm not playing Skyrim :P haha I love that game. Anyways, You all should expect the next chapter not to be as fast, since I'll be out of town for a bit anyways. So I predict (not certain) that the next chapter will be up and running(well not running, its words, but you know what I mean) in the next week or so. Getting closer and closer to the end. Oh, and I do not own any of the leading gungan talkers in this chapter. Meaning Boss Lyonie or Rish Loo. They are acutaly characters in the Clone Wars' series. They appear in the episodes "Gungan Attack" and "Shadow Warrior".**


	22. The Waterfall

Chapter 22: The Waterfall

The lake that we had just dove into not but three hours ago had to be much larger than I originally thought. The depth reached down to at least three hundred feet. Kind of makes me think what really can live this far down in fresh water.

We began searching through the Force to find the best way to Theed. With our combined minds, it would not prove difficult at all. A cavern here or a ridge there and we found the numerous landmarks the engineers had described to us to look for. We sped through numerous canyons that were under water. It was actually quite beautiful. The greatest part of it all was that there were only small fish that we could see. Nothing large at all, even for a lake this big.

"Head down that way," I told Ahsoka. I pointed at another underwater cavern that lead though a submerged mountain. When we emerged, what we were about to find out was a lesson for all of us. A fish, larger than most space freighters emerged and trapped the Bongo it its powerful jaws for an easy meal. Just when we thought all was lost, another shadow in the murk loomed forward and struck at the fish that had us in its mouth. The shadow turned out to be another underwater creature that was just as high as the crevice it had hidden in. The creature had to be at least fifteen stories high.

"There's always a bigger fish," I whispered to myself but just loud enough so everyone could still hear me.

"Heh," Ryan chuckled. "That's an understatement."

We entered in a small cavern to escape both creatures. The smaller fish, well if you can call it a smaller fish was as good as dead. As we entered the cavern, an unfortunate series of events happened: the Bongo started to wail a warning klaxon, which warned us of the engine starting to die down, and included the interior and exterior navigation lights started to sputter out and shut down. "Ah man!" Ahsoka exclaimed. "We're loosing power!"

"What does that mean?" Sakura asked.

"It means we're stuck down hear with no way to go," Ryan explained. "We might as well just wait for our deaths."

"Don't start, Ryan," I told him. "We're not in trouble yet."

"Yet?" Ryan chuckled. Ahsoka removed one of the panels back to expose a set of wired connections and started fiddling around with some of the wires. "There's fish monsters out in the open, we're taking on water and sinking, and on top of all that, we have no power! When are we finally in trouble, Jadin. Please, tell me."

A spark lit off of the wiring harness that held the connections. "The power's back," Ahsoka announced. As the lights started to come back on, we could finally see our surroundings. There wasn't much more to go through in the cave only one more chamber to go through. "We just have to make it over this rock."

Just as she finished speaking, the rock had moved. That's right, _moved_. "Did anyone else see that?" Ahsoka asked.

We all nodded as the rock came around and showed us its extremely large snout with teeth as large as the Bongo itself. "That's not good!" Ryan cried out as Ahsoka started up the engine and sped us out towards the cavern's exit. Ahsoka pushed the engines to escape the fast moving eel. As Ahsoka started to reach the end of the cavern, an even larger animal appeared from underneath the cavern exit with its mouth wide open. Ahsoka had to pull up as best as she could to avoid crashing in the leviathan's mouth. Its mouth could have easily swallowed us completely whole with out even a scar on its tongue. The noise the beast made most likely shook off the rocks that were holding the cavern entrance.

I looked behind to see the ceilings rocks fall onto of the cave monster that was now being digested by the larger more powerful monster. I looked forward again to guide Ahsoka. "Head for that alcove to the left," I told her. I pointed my finger in the direction of yet another tunnel.

* * *

We had gotten through the planet core to find out that the exit was just in Theed's main waterway leading to the waterfalls. We surfaced as soon as we gotten the chance. Thankful just to be out of that forsaken lake. It made Geonosis look like a picnic almost. However our surfacing job wasn't the best in the world.

Ahsoka had surfaced with little emergency power left to spare. She had disabled the bubble and allowed us all to breathe the fresh air. I spun around to hear a loud crashing sound. The channel that flowed through to the waterfall was right behind us!

"Ahsoka, start the engines!" I shouted over to roar of the falls. The river's heavy current started to take us over the edge of the cliff.

The Bongo's engines wined and churned as they tried to turn the propeller. "There's not enough power," she explained.

_Great_, I thought. I looked around the bongo for anything that we could use to get us away from the falls. I remembered that I had packed a grappling hook onto my utility belt before we left Coruscant. We all had packed one it looked like. "Hey!" I shouted. "Use the grappling hooks!"

I reached for the grappling mechanism that held the claw. I took aim at the channel's sidewalls. I pulled the trigger and the claw latched on to the duracrete surface. Ahsoka, Ryan, and Sakura all did the same. The Bongo started to fall down the surface of the falls. "Latch them in place!" I yelled as I hitched the wire to the Bongo's hull. We began to climb over the side of the Bongo to hang onto the half inch steel cable to shimmy our way over. I felt a tug at the line as it started to go slack. I looked across the line to see that the claw was coming undone.

"These aren't going to hold forever!" Ahsoka barked. "Get going!"

The water was constantly pushing at us and forcing us down the falls. We held on as much as we could and tried not to swallow the water. The grappling hooks started to release their tension even more. I finally reached the side of the channel before my hook had disconnected and sent the Bongo part way to the cliff's edge.

"Hurry!" I shouted pulling Sakura up to the channel's walls. Ahsoka had made it up before Ryan. Until Ryan's line had snapped.

The rest of the lines made a distinct twanging sound as they dislodged from their positions and sent the Bongo off the ledge…with Ryan as well.

"No!" Sakura shouted as she reached over to grab onto the flailing Jedi. He grasped her hands for a quick moment but the water's strength out lasted the young Jedi's first. Ryan looked up into Sakura's eyes for a final moment, letting all of his feelings for her transfer into her body and mind. Ryan closed his eyes and let go of Sakura's arms. "Ryan!" Sakura shrieked as he disappeared over the cliff and into the white shadow of the waterfall….

**AN:**** Dang…that was tough for Sakura. Out of nowhere, her friend falls over the falls. I figured out that this story couldn't always have happy endings to chapters. Tell me what you think of this chapter. I would really like to hear any thoughts. Thanks again guys. ****Review please.**

**PS: Oh, AVP5, I know that Ryan was your idea and I thank you again for letting him into my story. Thank you so much.**


	23. Theed

Chapter 23: Theed

_He's gone_, I thought. _Ryan's gone_.

Sakura was crouched down by the edge of the channel where Ryan let go of her. As Ahsoka went to go calm Sakura down, I over heard them speaking to each other. "I can't believe he's gone," Sakura grieved.

"I know," Ahsoka explained. "He was my friend too and—"

"He wasn't just a friend to me, Ahsoka," she retorted. "I fell for him when we first fought. Back during that competition you guys had, we had looked into each other's eyes for the first time…"

She didn't have to continue. I knew what she was about to say. I went over to Sakura's side that was opposite of Ahsoka. "Hey," I started. "I'm really sorry about Ryan, I…I didn't know—"

Sakura got up and shoved me down on the ground. "No," she started. Her eyes seemed to turn red. "You knew this was a risk. You took him because he wanted to save his planet. His home!"

"Sakura, I…"

"No, Jadin," she interrupted. She inched closer and closer to me. "Ryan is dead because of you. This stupid mission was a failure from the start! It failed right when you killed the two clones!"

Anger filled inside me at the thought of that. I sprang up from where I fell on the ground and towered over Sakura. "This mission was to save Naboo! Ryan damn well knew the risks! You saw how he let go of you; he knew that there was only hope that you would survive. That all of us would survive."

Sakura's mouth opened as if she were going to reply. She closed her mouth and swallowed what she was about to say in tears. Her sorrow had transferred to me through the splintered mind meld. "Sakura, I'm sorry," I said. "I know what you've lost. But the best thing we can do now is to complete the mission for Ryan now. Its what he would have wanted."

Sakura wiped her eyes and nodded. We picked up anything that we couldn't leave behind and we walked up the flight of stairs toward Theed Palace. Truly leaving Ryan behind.

* * *

The Naboo's capitol was very beautiful. The buildings were mostly made out of duracrete instead of steel that gave it that ancient look. The townspeople turned out to be doing their own thing. No one seemed to be afraid or distraught. _Strange_, I thought.

"Where do we go now?" Ahsoka asked. "Its not like we can just march up to the capitol building."

"Actually," I said looking around at the people. "I believe we can. We're here diplomatically after all."

She nodded and followed me as I made my way up through the many streets and allies to the capitol building. The building was enormously beautiful. "It's bigger than I expected," I told everyone. We continued to walk up the numerous steps that led up to the doors of the building. The guards had let us pass as they noticed our lightsabers. They told us that the queen would be in the throne room addressing about the blockade and attempting to contact Senator Amidala on Coruscant. _Good_, I thought. _We can finally get the Republic out here_.

As we entered the throne room, we were held under arrest as three of the queen's bodyguards snatched our lightsabers and us. "What are you doing?" Ahsoka yelled at the guards as she struggled to get out of her grasp. "We're Jedi on a diplomatic mission!"

"The only diplomacy that you'll be conducting is with your cell," one of the guards said as we were drug out with our feet dragging, squirming to no end.

As they brought us to our cells in the very bottom of the palace basement, I broke free of the guard's grasp and tried reaching for my lightsaber. I had ignited the blade and warned the guards to step back. "I don't want to hurt you," I said to them.

"Just calm down, Jedi," one said waving his hands in a downward motion. "We're just following orders."

The thought of the two clones I had killed came back into my mind. They were too, just following orders. I had lowered my lightsaber. A terrible mistake to have trusted these guards though. A shocking sensation started in my side then spread down my spine until my vision completely blacked out.

I had woken up with an enormous throbbing pain in my head. "What happened?" I asked Ahsoka who has slowly helping me up.

* * *

"You got stunned," she explained. I got up to check my surroundings but was stopped by Ahsoka. "Easy, Jadin. You hit your head hard on the floor."

The throbbing in my head got harder and also forced me to lie down. "Of course I did," I said. "Where are we?"

"We're in jail," Sakura replied. "What did you expect?"

"Ohh," I groaned from my head. "I'm sorry, guys."

"It's okay," Ahsoka said letting my head rest on her lap. "It wasn't your fault. Something else is going on here."

"Yeah," Sakura put in. "We're stuck in this prison while the other Jedi have no idea where we are."

"Don't be so negative, Sakura," Ahsoka suggested.

"Easy for you to say," she replied. "You didn't loose the only person you care for in the galaxy. No no, he just hit his head on the floor!"

Tears started to form in her eyes. "Well that's funny," we heard a familiar voice coming from the shadows. "Because I thought I had lost you too."

Sakura's eyes lightened as she saw the shadow take form to Ryan. She grasped the bars and took Ryan in her arms. The bars had prevented them from a true embrace of the two. "How did you survive," she asked with tears of joy now in her eyes. "We saw you fall down the falls."

"It's a long story," Ryan replied with an enormous smile on his face. "Right now, we need to get you all out of here."

Ahsoka brought me to my feet as I managed to stay up and walk around. "How do you plan on that?" Sakura asked. Ryan went over to the holoconsole that controlled the doors. "They lock the doors and I doubt even you could—"

Sakura was cut off as Ryan had unlocked the doors and opened them both. "I could what?" he asked as he hugged Sakura.

"Later guys," I said grabbing Ahsoka and Sakura's lightsabers from the table that was in the cell room. I found mine on the floor where I had blacked out. Never again would I let that happen to me again. "We have to get to that throne room."

**AN: Haha, Jk Ryan's alive! Fooled ya guys. Anyways, sorry this took a little bit longer than the last chapter. Been kinda busy getting some stuff sorted out in my life. Okay, enough of my problems. What did you guys thing of this chapter? Ya like it? Post that oh so kind review below then. If you didn't like this chapter. Explain in that beautiful review box below (: Thanks for reading guys. If you liked this chapter, bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter then bless you. Next chapter will be up soon.**

**Ps: I don't own that bless your face thing in the authors note. Tobuscus on Youtube owns it. I just thought it would be funny to use :)**


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